Cheat Sheet
This is the most perishable page in the course. Prices, model names, and limits change constantly. Every cell was checked against the vendor's own page on the date in the HTML comment beside it. Confirm on the live page before acting — links are in Sources. Where a number isn't verifiable, this sheet uses durable wording instead of guessing.
Claude = claude.ai (Anthropic). ChatGPT = chatgpt.com (OpenAI). Gemini = gemini.google.com (Google). Feature names are capitalised exactly as each vendor writes them.
Feature Comparison Grid
"Yes" means the feature exists; check the vendor page for which tier unlocks it.
| Capability | Claude | ChatGPT | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saved workspace for related chats | Projects | Projects | Gems (custom assistants) |
| Live preview pane for docs/apps | Artifacts | Canvas | Canvas |
| Run code / analyse spreadsheets | File creation with code execution | Code Interpreter (data analysis) | Built-in data analysis |
| Always-on persona instructions | Project / account memory | Custom Instructions | Saved info / personalisation |
| Build your own mini-assistant | Projects + custom instructions | GPTs | Gems |
| Multi-step web research report | Research | Deep Research | Deep Research |
| Web search in answers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memory across conversations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop app | Yes | Yes | Web / mobile |
Claude's Research, web search, memory, and desktop app are confirmed on its pricing page. Treat the "which feature is where" mapping as stable and tier gating as something to re-check.
Current Model Options
Vendors run a fast model for everyday chat and a slower "thinking" model for hard problems. Switch them in the model picker near the top of the chat window (paid tiers); Free tiers often auto-select for you.
| App | Everyday model | Deep-reasoning model | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | Sonnet | Opus 4.8 (flagship, 1M context) | Haiku is the fast, low-cost option; all three on paid tiers |
| ChatGPT | GPT-5.5 Instant (default) | GPT-5.5 Thinking | Free auto-uses GPT-5.5, then falls back to a mini model after limit |
| Gemini | Gemini 3.5 Flash (default) | Gemini 3.1 Pro | Pro model gated to higher paid tiers |
Pricing Tiers (US, per month)
US dollars, changed often. Annual billing is usually cheaper than monthly. Re-check before buying.
| App | Free | Entry paid | Mid paid | Top consumer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | $0 | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual) | — | Max, from $100/mo (5x or 20x Pro) |
| ChatGPT | $0 | Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo | — | Pro $200/mo (20x Plus) |
| Gemini | $0 | AI Plus (200GB) | AI Pro (5TB) | AI Ultra $100 or $200/mo |
Google's paid tiers bundle cloud storage and sometimes YouTube Premium, so compare total value, not just the AI limit. Exact Google AI Plus / Pro dollar figures move around — confirm on the plans page before subscribing.
File Limits and Uploads
All three apps accept document, image, and spreadsheet uploads on paid tiers; Free tiers cap how many files and how often. Hard numbers (megabytes, pages, daily counts) change fastest of all, so read the live limit in the app's upload tooltip rather than trusting any printed figure.
| Question | Where to confirm in-app |
|---|---|
| What file types are allowed? | Hover the paperclip / attach icon; unsupported types are greyed out |
| How big can one file be? | The app shows an error with the cap if you exceed it |
| How many uploads per day? | Free tiers show a "limit reached" banner; paid tiers raise it |
| Why did my upload fail? | See Troubleshooting |
Durable rule: paid tiers consistently raise file size, file count, and message limits. Pay only after you repeatedly hit the Free ceiling.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Stable, high-value shortcuts. Mac users substitute Cmd for Ctrl.
| Action | Claude | ChatGPT | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send message | Enter | Enter | Enter |
| New line (don't send) | Shift + Enter | Shift + Enter | Shift + Enter |
| Start a new chat | Ctrl + K, then "new" | Ctrl + Shift + O | Menu, New chat |
| Focus the message box | Click input | Shift + Esc | Click input |
| Command / search menu | Ctrl + K | Ctrl + K | — |
Press ? or open Settings in any app to see its full, current shortcut list — the authoritative source if a binding above has moved.
Verify before you trust:
1. Open the vendor's own pricing/model page (Sources below).
2. Match the tier name, not just the price.
3. Confirm the model name in the in-app picker.
4. Read the live limit in the upload tooltip.Where to Go Next
Sources
Confirm every perishable cell against these primary pages:
- Claude plans: https://claude.com/pricing
- Claude flagship model: https://www.anthropic.com/claude/opus
- ChatGPT plans: https://openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/
- ChatGPT models: https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5-5/
- Google AI plans: https://one.google.com/about/google-ai-plans/
- Gemini models: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/gemini-3-5/