GPT-5.5 vs Claude Opus 4.7
vs Gemini 3.1 Pro

The three most powerful AI models in 2026, compared head-to-head. We tested benchmarks, pricing, coding ability, reasoning, and real-world performance to help you pick the right model.

🟢 GPT-5.5 "Spud" 🔵 Claude Opus 4.7 🟡 Gemini 3.1 Pro

At a Glance: Pricing & Context

API pricing per million tokens • Updated June 2026

🟢

GPT-5.5

$5 / $30
Input / Output per 1M tokens
128K context • Arena #1 (1481)
🔵

Claude Opus 4.7

$5 / $25
Input / Output per 1M tokens
200K context • Coding #1
🟡

Gemini 3.1 Pro

$2 / $12
Input / Output per 1M tokens
1M context • Best Value

📊 Full Comparison Table

Feature 🟢 GPT-5.5 🔵 Claude Opus 4.7 🟡 Gemini 3.1 Pro
Release Date April 23, 2026 April 16, 2026 February 19, 2026
Context Window 128K (API) / 400K (Codex) 200K 🏆 1M input / 64K output
API Input Price $5/M $5/M 🏆 $2/M
API Output Price $30/M 🏆 $25/M $12/M
Batch Processing 50% off ($2.50/$15) 50% off ($2.50/$12.50) 🏆 $1/$6 (50% off)
Chatbot Arena Score 🏆 1481 ~1470 ~1440
Coding (SWE-bench) Top 3 🏆 #1 Top 5
ARC-AGI-2 (Reasoning) ~70% ~68% 🏆 77.1%
Multimodal 🏆 Text + Image + Voice + Video Text + Image (2576px) Native multimodal
Agentic Capabilities Codex integration, tool use 🏆 xhigh effort, sustained autonomous Deep Think mode
Consumer Plan Plus $20, Pro $100/$200 Pro $20, Max $100 🏆 Advanced $20, Ultra $50
Prompt Caching ~30% savings 90% cache discount Context caching available

💻 Coding Performance: Who Writes Better Code?

🏆 Claude Opus 4.7 — Best for Coding

Claude Opus 4.7 dominates the Coding Arena leaderboard and leads on SWE-bench Verified. Its new xhigh effort mode sustains autonomous performance over extended sessions, making it ideal for complex multi-file refactors. Claude Code CLI integrates directly into VS Code and JetBrains, with a /ultrareview command for deep code analysis. Claude's 90% prompt caching discount also makes iterative development cheaper than competitors.

🟢 GPT-5.5 — Strong Runner-Up

GPT-5.5's Codex integration (400K context) gives it an edge for large codebase analysis. The Codex agent runs in sandboxed environments and can execute code autonomously. It's the better choice if you're already in the OpenAI ecosystem (ChatGPT Plus, API) and need multimodal code understanding (screenshots → code, voice → code).

🟡 Gemini 3.1 Pro — Budget Coding Champion

At 60% lower cost, Gemini 3.1 Pro handles most coding tasks surprisingly well. Its 1M context window means you can feed entire repositories without chunking. Best for: large-context code reviews, documentation generation, and budget-conscious teams that don't need frontier-level autonomous coding.

🎯 The Verdict: Which Model Should You Pick?

Best All-Rounder

🟢 GPT-5.5

  • Best for general knowledge & creative work
  • Strongest multimodal (text + image + voice + video)
  • Arena #1 overall score (1481)
  • Best ecosystem (ChatGPT, Codex, Plugins)
  • Pick this if: You need one model for everything
Try GPT-5.5 →
Best for Coding & Engineering

🔵 Claude Opus 4.7

  • #1 on Coding Arena & SWE-bench
  • xhigh effort mode for complex tasks
  • 90% prompt caching discount
  • Best autonomous agent performance
  • Pick this if: You're a developer or engineer
Try Claude Opus 4.7 →
Best Value & Large Context

🟡 Gemini 3.1 Pro

  • 60% cheaper than GPT-5.5
  • 1M token context (5x competitors)
  • ARC-AGI-2 #1 at 77.1%
  • Best for data analysis & research
  • Pick this if: Budget or context length matters most
Try Gemini 3.1 Pro →

🧠 Pro Strategy: Use All Three Models

Multi-Model Routing is the 2026 Meta

The smartest developers and teams in 2026 don't pick just one model — they route tasks to the best model for each job. Here's the optimal setup:

  • GPT-5.5 → General questions, creative writing, multimodal tasks, brainstorming
  • Claude Opus 4.7 → Coding, debugging, code review, engineering documentation
  • Gemini 3.1 Pro → Large document analysis, data processing, cost-sensitive batch work

Tools like Cursor (multi-model IDE), GitHub Copilot Wave 3 (Claude + GPT + Microsoft models), and WidelAI (all models under one subscription) already support this workflow natively.

💰 How Much Does Each Model Cost Per Month?

Usage Level 🟢 GPT-5.5 🔵 Claude Opus 4.7 🟡 Gemini 3.1 Pro
Casual (consumer plan) $20/mo (Plus) $20/mo (Pro) 🏆 $20/mo (Advanced)
Power user $100/mo (Pro) $100/mo (Max) 🏆 $50/mo (Ultra)
API: 1M tokens/day ~$450/mo ~$375/mo 🏆 ~$210/mo
API: 10M tokens/day ~$4,500/mo ~$3,750/mo 🏆 ~$2,100/mo

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📖 Related Guides

GPT-5.5 Full Guide Claude Opus Deep Dive ChatGPT Pricing Guide AI Coding Tools Pricing Best Vibe Coding Tools Best MCP Servers Best AI Trading Bots DeepSeek V4

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: GPT-5.5 or Claude Opus 4.7? ▼
GPT-5.5 leads on Chatbot Arena (1481 vs ~1470) and multimodal tasks. Claude Opus 4.7 leads on coding (SWE-bench #1) and costs 17% less on output tokens ($25/M vs $30/M). For general use and creative work, GPT-5.5 is better. For software engineering and long autonomous tasks, Claude Opus 4.7 has the edge.
Is Gemini 3.1 Pro cheaper than GPT-5.5 and Claude? ▼
Yes, significantly. Gemini 3.1 Pro costs $2/M input and $12/M output, making it 60% cheaper than GPT-5.5 ($5/$30) and 52% cheaper than Claude Opus 4.7 ($5/$25) on input tokens. Gemini also offers a 1-million-token context window (vs 128K-200K for competitors), making it the best value for large-context tasks.
What is the best AI model for coding in 2026? ▼
Claude Opus 4.7 is the best AI model for coding in 2026. It ranks #1 on the Coding Arena leaderboard and leads on SWE-bench Verified. Its 'xhigh' effort mode and sustained autonomous performance make it ideal for complex engineering tasks. GPT-5.5 is a close second with strong Codex integration.
What is the best AI model for the price in 2026? ▼
Gemini 3.1 Pro offers the best value in 2026 at $2/$12 per million tokens with a 1M context window. It scores 77.1% on ARC-AGI-2 (up from 31.1%) and handles complex reasoning well. For developers who need coding excellence, Claude Opus 4.7 at $5/$25 provides the best capability-to-cost ratio for engineering tasks.
Should I use multiple AI models in 2026? ▼
Yes — the best strategy in 2026 is multi-model routing. Use GPT-5.5 for general knowledge, multimodal tasks, and creative work. Use Claude Opus 4.7 for coding, debugging, and complex engineering. Use Gemini 3.1 Pro for large-context analysis, data processing, and budget-sensitive workloads. Tools like Cursor, Copilot Wave 3, and WidelAI already support multi-model routing in a single workflow.