Anthropic vs OpenAI
SEPT 2026 auditA comparison of Anthropic and OpenAI built from values read directly from each provider's own documentation, with the source recorded against every figure.
The short answer
Choose Anthropic if…
Teams that want the full 1M-token window at the standard per-token rate rather than a long-context surcharge, and that can use caching and batch to cut a frontier-model bill roughly in half.
Editorial · Palash Bagchi · approved
Choose OpenAI if…
Work that fits inside the short-context rate, where the cheapest tier is $0.20 per million input tokens and the batch tier halves everything above it.
Editorial · Palash Bagchi · approved
Consider something else if…
- Anthropic: Its cheapest model is $1 per million input tokens, several times what the budget tiers at Google, OpenAI and DeepSeek charge, so high-volume simple work is priced against you.
- OpenAI: Long prompts cross into the long-context rate and roughly double the bill, which is a cliff the flat-rate vendors do not have.
18 sourced criteria separate them — see where, with sources, below.
Pick the criteria you care about. The chart counts how many of them lean toward each provider — the same read as scanning the bars below, just totalled for the ones you chose.
Anthropic 0
OpenAI 0
At a glance.
| Criterion | Anthropic | OpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Per million tokens, priced separately for input and output and per model, with multipliers stacked on top: prompt caching, a 50% batch discount, a 1.1x uplift for US-only inference on Claude 4.6 and later, and a fast-mode premium. | Per million tokens, with a second rate above the short-context threshold — long-context input and output cost roughly double. Batch, Flex, Fast and standard tiers are priced separately, and regional processing adds a 10% uplift on models released from March 2026. |
| Infrastructure | ||
| Regions | Two inference geos on the Claude API: "global" (the default, any available geography) and "us" (US-based infrastructure only, priced at 1.1x on Claude 4.6 and later). Workspace storage geo is "us" only. | Ten data-residency regions: US, Europe (EEA + Switzerland), Australia, Canada, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates. Regional processing (inference) only in US, EU and UAE; the rest are storage-only. |
| Inference | ||
| Input price, top model | $10 per million input tokens for Claude Fable 5.1, the most capable model. | $10 per million input tokens for gpt-6-astra at short context. |
| Output price, top model | $50 per million output tokens for Claude Fable 5.1. | $50 per million output tokens for gpt-6-astra at short context. |
| Input price, cheapest model | $1 per million input tokens for Claude Haiku 4.5, the cheapest current model. | $0.10 per million input tokens for gpt-6-luna at short context. |
| Context window | 1M tokens on Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Opus 5 and Claude Sonnet 5; 200K on Claude Haiku 4.5. | 1,050,000 tokens on gpt-6-astra. |
| Max output tokens | 128K tokens on the top three models, 64K on Claude Haiku 4.5. | 128,000 tokens on gpt-6-astra. |
| Prompt caching | Supported — Priced separately: 5-minute and 1-hour cache writes, with cheaper cache hits and refreshes. | Supported — Cached input is a tenth of the input rate; cache writes are priced above it. |
| Batch discount | 50% off both input and output tokens through the Batch API, for asynchronous processing. | 50% off input and output through the Batch API: gpt-6-astra falls from $10.00/$50.00 to $5.00/$25.00 at short context. |
| Rate limits | Per-organization limits set by usage tier (Start, Build, Scale, Custom). On the Start tier the Messages API allows 1,000 RPM with 2,000,000 input and 400,000 output tokens per minute for Claude Opus 5, Sonnet 5 and Haiku 4.5, under a $500/month spend cap. | Org- and project-level limits in RPM, RPD, TPM, TPD and IPM that vary by model; usage tiers graduate automatically as API spend rises. |
| Compliance | ||
| SOC 2 | SOC 2 Type II; the Trust Center lists a 2025 Type 2 SOC 2 and CSA STAR L2 report, a SOC 3 report and a 2026 bridge letter, released on access request. | SOC 2 Type 2 report by an independent third-party auditor covering security, confidentiality, privacy and availability; access requested in the Trust Portal. |
| ISO 27001 | ISO 27001:2022 certified, with an ISO 27001 Certificate (2025) and an ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certificate listed in the Trust Center. | ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified, alongside 27017, 27018 and 27701; the certificate scope names the API, ChatGPT Enterprise and ChatGPT Edu. |
| HIPAA | HIPAA-ready on the Claude API with a signed BAA; Claude Code, Console usage, Claude Platform on AWS and Microsoft Foundry are not covered. | BAA-eligible endpoints can process PHI once a Business Associate and Healthcare Addendum is executed; live Web Search is not HIPAA eligible. |
| GDPR / data residency | Inference geo is chosen per request ("global" or "us"); workspace data-at-rest geo is fixed at creation and "us" is currently the only option. | Per-project data residency stores customer content at rest in a chosen region; non-US regions need abuse-monitoring approval and a Modified Retention amendment. |
| Encryption at rest | Workspace data is encrypted at rest under Anthropic's default encryption; an opt-in customer-managed key can replace it. | Data protection controls include encryption of your data in transit and at rest, per the applicable ChatGPT Enterprise or API organization settings. Stated in OpenAI's Codex HIPAA configuration guide; no separate API-docs statement. |
| Customer-managed keys | Optional CMEK using a key in your own AWS KMS, Google Cloud KMS or Azure Key Vault; US regions only, permanent once enabled, activated by the account team. | Enterprise Key Management encrypts customer content with your own KMS keys; BYOK via AWS KMS, Google Cloud or Azure Key Vault. |
| Role-based access control | Claude Enterprise members hold one of five organization roles, plus custom roles attached to groups; the Admin API reads groups and custom roles. | Role-based access control with preset and custom roles, groups syncable from an identity provider via SCIM, scoped at organization or project level. |
| Private networking / VPC | AWS PrivateLink is supported for connecting your VPC to the Claude Platform on AWS endpoint. Claude Platform on AWS; the statement does not extend to the first-party api.anthropic.com endpoint. | Azure Private Link to regional OpenAI API endpoints; not self-service, and incompatible with IP allowlist controls or mutual TLS. |
| Dedicated infrastructure | Priority Tier capacity commitments are no longer sold; existing ones run to their contract end date and guaranteed capacity goes through sales. | Scale Tier offers more predictable capacity on eligible models for enterprise pay-as-you-go traffic; Reserved Tier covers GPT-5.6 and later models. |
Where they differ.
Pricing model
- Anthropic
- Per million tokens, priced separately for input and output and per model, with multipliers stacked on top: prompt caching, a 50% batch discount, a 1.1x uplift for US-only inference on Claude 4.6 and later, and a fast-mode premium.
- OpenAI
- Per million tokens, with a second rate above the short-context threshold — long-context input and output cost roughly double. Batch, Flex, Fast and standard tiers are priced separately, and regional processing adds a 10% uplift on models released from March 2026.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Pricing — Claude Docs ↗
“This page provides detailed pricing information for Anthropic's models and features. All prices are in USD. [...] These multipliers stack with other pricing modifiers, including the Batch API discount and data residency. [...] specifying US-only inference through the inference_geo parameter incurs a 1.1x multiplier on all token pricing categories”
Read 2026-09-06 · official pricing · Report a correction
- Pricing — OpenAI API docs ↗
“Prices per 1M tokens. [...] Regional processing (data residency) endpoints are charged a 10% uplift for models released on or after March 5, 2026 [...] Priority processing was renamed Fast mode on July 30, 2026.”
Read 2026-09-06 · official pricing · Report a correction
Regions
Two inference geos on the Claude API: "global" (the default, any available geography) and "us" (US-based infrastructure only, priced at 1.1x on Claude 4.6 and later). Workspace storage geo is "us" only.
Ten data-residency regions: US, Europe (EEA + Switzerland), Australia, Canada, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates. Regional processing (inference) only in US, EU and UAE; the rest are storage-only.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Data residency - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“Default. Inference may run in any available geography for optimal performance and availability. [...] Inference runs only in US-based infrastructure. [...] is the only available workspace geo.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Data controls in the OpenAI platform - OpenAI API docs ↗
“United States us.api.openai.com [...] Europe (EEA + Switzerland) eu.api.openai.com [...] United Arab Emirates ae.api.openai.com”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Input price, top model
- Anthropic
- $10 per million input tokens for Claude Fable 5.1, the most capable model.
- OpenAI
- $10 per million input tokens for gpt-6-astra at short context.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Pricing — Claude Docs ↗
“Model Base input tokens 5m cache writes 1h cache writes Cache hits and refreshes Output tokens Claude Fable 5.1 $10 / MTok $12.50 / MTok $20 / MTok $0.25 / MTok 1 $50 / MTok”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
- Pricing — OpenAI Platform ↗
“Short context Long context Model Input Cached input Cache writes Output Input Cached input Cache writes Output gpt-6-astra $10.00 $1.00 $12.50 $50.00 $20.00 $2.00 $25.00 $75.00”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
Output price, top model
- Anthropic
- $50 per million output tokens for Claude Fable 5.1.
- OpenAI
- $50 per million output tokens for gpt-6-astra at short context.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Pricing — Claude Docs ↗
“Model Base input tokens 5m cache writes 1h cache writes Cache hits and refreshes Output tokens Claude Fable 5.1 $10 / MTok $12.50 / MTok $20 / MTok $0.25 / MTok 1 $50 / MTok”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
- Pricing — OpenAI Platform ↗
“Short context Long context Model Input Cached input Cache writes Output Input Cached input Cache writes Output gpt-6-astra $10.00 $1.00 $12.50 $50.00 $20.00 $2.00 $25.00 $75.00”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
Input price, cheapest model
- Anthropic
- $1 per million input tokens for Claude Haiku 4.5, the cheapest current model.
- OpenAI
- $0.10 per million input tokens for gpt-6-luna at short context.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Pricing — Claude Docs ↗
“Claude Haiku 4.5 $1 / MTok $1.25 / MTok $2 / MTok $0.10 / MTok $5 / MTok”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
- Pricing — OpenAI Platform ↗
“gpt-6-luna $0.10 $0.01 $0.125 $0.50”
Read 2026-09-25 · official pricing · Report a correction
Context window
1M tokens on Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Opus 5 and Claude Sonnet 5; 200K on Claude Haiku 4.5.
1,050,000 tokens on gpt-6-astra.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Models overview — Claude Docs ↗
“Context window 1M tokens 1M tokens 1M tokens 200K tokens Max output 128K tokens 128K tokens 128K tokens 64K tokens”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs · Report a correction
- GPT-6 Astra — OpenAI Platform ↗
“1,050,000 context window 128,000 max output tokens Apr 30, 2026 knowledge cutoff Reasoning token support”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs · Report a correction
Max output tokens
128K tokens on the top three models, 64K on Claude Haiku 4.5.
128,000 tokens on gpt-6-astra.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Models overview — Claude Docs ↗
“Context window 1M tokens 1M tokens 1M tokens 200K tokens Max output 128K tokens 128K tokens 128K tokens 64K tokens”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs · Report a correction
- GPT-6 Astra — OpenAI Platform ↗
“1,050,000 context window 128,000 max output tokens Apr 30, 2026 knowledge cutoff Reasoning token support”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs · Report a correction
Batch discount
- Anthropic
- 50% off both input and output tokens through the Batch API, for asynchronous processing.
- OpenAI
- 50% off input and output through the Batch API: gpt-6-astra falls from $10.00/$50.00 to $5.00/$25.00 at short context.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Pricing — Claude Docs ↗
“The Batch API allows asynchronous processing of large volumes of requests with a 50% discount on both input and output tokens.”
Read 2026-09-06 · official pricing · Report a correction
- Pricing — OpenAI Platform ↗
“All models Batch Short context Long context Model Input Cached input Cache writes Output Input Cached input Cache writes Output gpt-6-astra $5.00 $0.50 $6.25 $25.00 $10.00 $1.00 $12.50 $37.50”
Read 2026-09-14 · official pricing · Report a correction
Rate limits
- Anthropic
- Per-organization limits set by usage tier (Start, Build, Scale, Custom). On the Start tier the Messages API allows 1,000 RPM with 2,000,000 input and 400,000 output tokens per minute for Claude Opus 5, Sonnet 5 and Haiku 4.5, under a $500/month spend cap.
- OpenAI
- Org- and project-level limits in RPM, RPD, TPM, TPD and IPM that vary by model; usage tiers graduate automatically as API spend rises.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Rate limits - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“The rate limits for the Messages API are measured in requests per minute (RPM), input tokens per minute (ITPM), and output tokens per minute (OTPM) for each model class. [...] Claude Opus 5 1,000 2,000,000 400,000 [...] Usage tier Monthly spend cap Start $500 USD Build $1,000 USD Scale $200,000 USD”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Rate limits - OpenAI API docs ↗
“Rate limits use metrics such as RPM (requests per minute), RPD (requests per day), TPM (tokens per minute), TPD (tokens per day), IPM (images per minute) [...] Rate limits are defined at the organization level and at the project level, not user level. [...] As your spend on our API goes up, we automatically graduate you to the next usage tier. This usually results in an increase in rate limits across most models.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
SOC 2
- Anthropic
- SOC 2 Type II; the Trust Center lists a 2025 Type 2 SOC 2 and CSA STAR L2 report, a SOC 3 report and a 2026 bridge letter, released on access request.
- OpenAI
- SOC 2 Type 2 report by an independent third-party auditor covering security, confidentiality, privacy and availability; access requested in the Trust Portal.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Anthropic Trust Center ↗
“Compliance HIPAA SOC 2 Type II ISO 27001:2022 ISO/IEC 42001:2023 FedRAMP High UK Cyber Essentials [...] [Anthropic] 2025 Type 2 SOC 2 and CSA STAR L2 Report.pdf”
Read 2026-09-13 · official site · Report a correction
- OpenAI Trust Portal ↗
“Our products are covered in our SOC 2 Type 2 report and have been evaluated by an independent third-party auditor to confirm that our controls align with industry standards for security, confidentiality, privacy and availability.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official site · Report a correction
ISO 27001
- Anthropic
- ISO 27001:2022 certified, with an ISO 27001 Certificate (2025) and an ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certificate listed in the Trust Center.
- OpenAI
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified, alongside 27017, 27018 and 27701; the certificate scope names the API, ChatGPT Enterprise and ChatGPT Edu.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Anthropic Trust Center ↗
“Compliance HIPAA SOC 2 Type II ISO 27001:2022 ISO/IEC 42001:2023 [...] [Anthropic] ISO 27001 Certificate (2025).pdf”
Read 2026-09-13 · official site · Report a correction
- OpenAI Trust Portal ↗
“Our products are also ISO 27001, 27017, 27018, and 27701 certified. [...] for OpenAI's API, ChatGPT Enterprise, and ChatGPT Edu services.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official site · Report a correction
HIPAA
- Anthropic
- HIPAA-ready on the Claude API with a signed BAA; Claude Code, Console usage, Claude Platform on AWS and Microsoft Foundry are not covered.
- OpenAI
- BAA-eligible endpoints can process PHI once a Business Associate and Healthcare Addendum is executed; live Web Search is not HIPAA eligible.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- API and data retention - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“The Claude API supports HIPAA-ready integrations for organizations that handle protected health information (PHI). With a signed BAA and a HIPAA-enabled organization, you can use supported API features to process PHI [...] Claude Code: Claude Code is not covered under HIPAA readiness. [...] Claude Platform on AWS and Microsoft Foundry: HIPAA readiness is not available on these platforms.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Data controls in the OpenAI platform - OpenAI API docs ↗
“For customers who have executed an OpenAI Business Associate and Healthcare Addendum, once your org ID is provisioned with Eyes Off, BAA-eligible endpoints can be used for processing PHI [...] Web Search with live internet access is not HIPAA eligible and is not covered by a BAA.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
GDPR / data residency
- Anthropic
- Inference geo is chosen per request ("global" or "us"); workspace data-at-rest geo is fixed at creation and "us" is currently the only option.
- OpenAI
- Per-project data residency stores customer content at rest in a chosen region; non-US regions need abuse-monitoring approval and a Modified Retention amendment.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Data residency - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“inference geo: controls where model inference runs, on a per-request basis [...] Workspace geo is set when you create a workspace and can [...] is the only available workspace geo.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Data controls in the OpenAI platform - OpenAI API docs ↗
“Data residency controls are a project configuration option that allow you to configure the location of infrastructure OpenAI uses to provide services. [...] To use data residency with any region other than the United States, you must be approved for abuse monitoring controls, and execute a Modified Retention amendment.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Encryption at rest
- Anthropic
- Workspace data is encrypted at rest under Anthropic's default encryption; an opt-in customer-managed key can replace it.
- OpenAI
- Data protection controls include encryption of your data in transit and at rest, per the applicable ChatGPT Enterprise or API organization settings. Stated in OpenAI's Codex HIPAA configuration guide; no separate API-docs statement.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Customer-managed encryption keys - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“have Anthropic use it to encrypt certain workspace data at rest [...] Eligible organizations can opt in to use customer-managed encryption keys instead of the default encryption that Anthropic provides.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- HIPAA configuration guide for Codex - OpenAI Developers ↗
“Data protection controls include encryption of your data in transit and at rest, identity and access controls, role-based administration, logging, and retention controls”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Customer-managed keys
- Anthropic
- Optional CMEK using a key in your own AWS KMS, Google Cloud KMS or Azure Key Vault; US regions only, permanent once enabled, activated by the account team.
- OpenAI
- Enterprise Key Management encrypts customer content with your own KMS keys; BYOK via AWS KMS, Google Cloud or Azure Key Vault.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Customer-managed encryption keys - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“A customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) lets you provision an encryption key in your own AWS KMS, Google Cloud KMS, or Azure Key Vault [...] CMEK is currently available in US regions only, and all encryption operations are processed in US regions. [...] To activate CMEK, contact your Anthropic account team.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Data controls in the OpenAI platform - OpenAI API docs ↗
“Enterprise Key Management (EKM) allows you to encrypt your customer content at OpenAI using keys managed by your own external Key Management System (KMS). [...] OpenAI supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) encryption with external accounts in AWS KMS, Google Cloud (GCP), and Azure Key Vault.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Role-based access control
- Anthropic
- Claude Enterprise members hold one of five organization roles, plus custom roles attached to groups; the Admin API reads groups and custom roles.
- OpenAI
- Role-based access control with preset and custom roles, groups syncable from an identity provider via SCIM, scoped at organization or project level.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- User management - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“Groups connect members to custom roles (role-based access control, the RBAC in the endpoint paths and scope names) [...] Every member has exactly one organization role. Reads return the member”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Role-based access control (RBAC) - OpenAI API docs ↗
“Role-based access control (RBAC) lets you decide who can do what across your organization and projects [...] Create custom roles with the exact permissions you need [...] Groups : Collections of users you can assign roles to. Groups can be synced from your identity provider (via SCIM)”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Private networking / VPC
- Anthropic
- AWS PrivateLink is supported for connecting your VPC to the Claude Platform on AWS endpoint. Claude Platform on AWS; the statement does not extend to the first-party api.anthropic.com endpoint.
- OpenAI
- Azure Private Link to regional OpenAI API endpoints; not self-service, and incompatible with IP allowlist controls or mutual TLS.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Claude Platform on AWS - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“AWS PrivateLink is supported for connecting your VPC to the Claude Platform on AWS endpoint.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Private Link - OpenAI API docs ↗
“OpenAI Private Link lets Azure workloads reach regional OpenAI API endpoints through Azure Private Link instead of connecting directly to public API endpoints. [...] Private Link is currently not self-service.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
Dedicated infrastructure
- Anthropic
- Priority Tier capacity commitments are no longer sold; existing ones run to their contract end date and guaranteed capacity goes through sales.
- OpenAI
- Scale Tier offers more predictable capacity on eligible models for enterprise pay-as-you-go traffic; Reserved Tier covers GPT-5.6 and later models.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Service tiers - Claude Platform Docs ↗
“Priority Tier capacity commitments are no longer available for purchase. Organizations with an existing commitment can continue to use Priority Tier through their contract end date”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
- Rate limits - OpenAI API docs ↗
“Enterprise customers whose pay-as-you-go traffic routinely hits ramp-rate limits can consider Scale Tier for more predictable capacity on eligible models. For GPT-5.6 and later models, see Reserved Tier”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs · Report a correction
When these numbers change, hear about it. Sources are re-checked monthly; a repricing goes out as a short note.
Documented by only one.
These criteria are published by one provider and not the other. An absence here means we have not found a source, not that the feature is missing — except where we say we read the other provider's own page on a given date and it does not state it. Those rows lean, and the provider can correct them with a link.
Questions this comparison answers.
Should I choose Anthropic or OpenAI?
Pick Anthropic if Teams that want the full 1M-token window at the standard per-token rate rather than a long-context surcharge, and that can use caching and batch to cut a frontier-model bill roughly in half.
Pick OpenAI if Work that fits inside the short-context rate, where the cheapest tier is $0.20 per million input tokens and the batch tier halves everything above it.
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