Claude Duet vs ChatGPT Dots
Price
Duet rides on a $20 Pro plan; Dots starts with $100-a-month ChatGPT Pro.
Permissions
Fixed approval list vs configurable rules per dot.
Ecosystem
Duet lives on your phone; Dots plugs into ChatGPT, Codex and Slack.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Dots at DevDay on September 29, 2026: always-on agents, each with its own cloud computer and browser, that keep working between conversations. Three weeks later Anthropic opened Claude Duet. On paper they sound alike. In practice the Claude Duet vs ChatGPT Dots choice comes down to price, who each is built for, and how much control you want over what the agent does alone.
This comparison uses each company's launch material and early coverage. Both products are new and some details, especially OpenAI's pricing, are still moving; we flag where sources disagree.
Updated October 22, 2026
Claude Duet vs ChatGPT Dots at a glance
Table
| Claude Duet | ChatGPT Dots | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | Oct 21, 2026 (research preview) | Sept 29, 2026 (DevDay) |
| Model | Opus 5.5 | GPT-6 Astra (some sources say GPT-5.1 Astra) |
| Where it runs | Private cloud computer | Own cloud computer and browser per dot |
| Entry price | Claude Pro, $20/mo | ChatGPT Pro, from $100/mo (first dot included) |
| Apps | 6,000+ connectors and plugins | 4,000+ apps via plugins |
| Where you talk to it | iOS app, Android app, claude.ai | ChatGPT, Slack, Microsoft Teams, voice calls |
| Setup | Any device, no wizard | ChatGPT desktop app or desktop browser only |
| Approvals | Always for send, pay, sign, delete | Custom rules per dot, four autonomy levels |
| Region | US only | Pro excludes EEA, Switzerland and UK |
| Business plans | Not yet | Business Premium; Enterprise and Edu beta |
Price: Claude Duet vs ChatGPT Dots
Plan cost
This is the clearest gap. Claude Duet is included with Claude Pro at $20 a month, and with Max at $100 or $200 if you want more headroom; see Claude Duet pricing. ChatGPT Dots is not available on Free, Go or Plus. Your first dot comes with ChatGPT Pro, which reports put at $100, $200 or $500 a month depending on tier, or with Business Premium, priced from about $100 per user per month billed annually.
Both companies are vague about what happens later. Anthropic says Duet shares plan limits "during the preview"; OpenAI has said new usage terms for Dots will apply after an introductory period, without details. Do not choose on price alone until both settle.
Permissions and approvals compared
Duet approvals
Claude Duet has a fixed rule: it never sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes a file without your approval. Anthropic adds that it never directly sees your passwords and uses a classifier to guard against sharing sensitive information. You cannot loosen the rule, which is limiting for power users but hard to misconfigure. More in the safety guide.
Dots custom rules
Dots lets you set custom rules for each dot, with four settings that range from taking action without asking to handing the job back to you. One reviewer found this the stronger permission model, because you can grant real autonomy for low-stakes work. The trade-off is that a careless rule can let an agent do more than you intended.
Ecosystem and day-to-day feel
Claude Duet is phone-first: one continuous thread, push notifications, a morning brief, and approve-or-decline buttons. It is built for one person keeping on top of their own work.
Dots fits existing team workflows. You can reach a dot from ChatGPT, Slack, Microsoft Teams or a voice call, and it plugs into Codex for developers. Setting one up requires the desktop app or a desktop browser; mobile web is not supported for creation.
What is still unclear about both agents
Both products are a few weeks old, and several things that would change a buying decision have not been published yet.
- Long-term pricing. Anthropic describes its terms as applying during the research preview. OpenAI has signalled new usage terms after an introductory period. Either could get more or less expensive.
- Real usage limits. Neither company has said how many background tasks fit inside a plan. Heavy users on either side should watch their usage closely in the first month.
- Reliability. Anthropic openly lists misjudged urgency and missed items between check-ins as known gaps. OpenAI has not published a comparable list, which does not mean its agent has none.
- Regional expansion. Anthropic's agent is US-only for now. OpenAI's Pro access excludes Europe's economic area, Switzerland and the UK. Dates for either to widen are not public.
- Model details. Coverage disagrees on which OpenAI model powers each dot, and both companies update models often.
Our advice: if you already pay for one of these ecosystems, start with the agent that comes with it and give it a month. Switching later is easy, because neither locks your email or calendar data inside the agent; both simply connect to the apps you already use.
Which is the better ChatGPT Dots alternative?
If you are looking at Claude Duet vs ChatGPT Dots as alternatives, here is the short version.
Pick Duet if
- You want a proactive agent for your own inbox, calendar and small-business apps.
- You already pay for Claude Pro and do not want a $100-a-month plan.
- You prefer fixed, simple guardrails over configurable autonomy.
- You live on your phone.
Pick Dots if
- Your team works in Slack or Microsoft Teams and wants agents there.
- You need a business plan today; Duet excludes Team and Enterprise.
- You want to grant an agent real autonomy for low-risk work.
- You are outside the US but not in the UK, Switzerland or the EEA.
Also weighing Meta's agent? See Claude Duet vs Meta Muse, or compare Duet with Anthropic's other agent in Claude Duet vs Cowork.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Duet better than ChatGPT Dots?
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For an individual on a budget who wants a phone-first assistant, Duet is the better fit. For teams in Slack or Teams who want configurable autonomy, Dots is.
Is Claude Duet cheaper than ChatGPT Dots?
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Yes, today. Duet comes with a $20 Claude Pro plan; Dots requires ChatGPT Pro from $100 a month or Business Premium.
Can I use Claude Duet and ChatGPT Dots together?
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Yes, they are separate products. Connecting both to the same inbox means two agents reading it, so watch for duplicate drafts.
Which is safer, Claude Duet or ChatGPT Dots?
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Duet uses a fixed approval list for risky actions; Dots uses rules you configure. Duet is harder to misconfigure; Dots is more flexible.
Is Claude Duet available where ChatGPT Dots is?
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Not always. Claude Duet is US-only. Dots on Pro is available more widely but excludes the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.