Switching from ChatGPT
Last verified: 13 February 2026 | Applies to: All plans
In 30 seconds
Section titled “In 30 seconds”If you’re coming from ChatGPT, Claude will feel familiar in chat but different in architecture. ChatGPT has GPTs and a plugin store; Claude has Skills, Plugins, Cowork, and MCP Connectors. This guide maps the concepts, highlights the differences, and helps you migrate your workflows.
Concept mapping
Section titled “Concept mapping”| ChatGPT | Claude | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Chat | Similar — conversational interface with the AI |
| GPTs (custom) | Skills + Plugins | Claude separates knowledge (skills) from bundles (plugins). Skills work on Free; plugins need Cowork. |
| Plugin store | claude.com/plugins + claude.com/connectors | Separate directories for plugins and tool connections |
| Code Interpreter | Code tab / Cowork | Claude can run code in Chat (artifacts) and in Cowork (full file access) |
| Browse with Bing | Cowork web browsing + Chrome extension | Cowork browses autonomously; Chrome extension interacts with specific pages |
| Custom instructions | CLAUDE.md + Skills | Folder-level or global instructions that persist across sessions |
| Memory | Productivity plugin + CLAUDE.md | More structured — explicit memory files you can read and edit |
| DALL-E | — | Claude doesn’t generate images (as of Feb 2026) |
| Voice mode | — | Claude Desktop doesn’t have voice input (as of Feb 2026) |
Image generation: ChatGPT has DALL-E. Claude doesn’t generate images.
Voice mode: ChatGPT has conversational voice input/output. Claude Desktop doesn’t (as of Feb 2026).
Ecosystem size: ChatGPT’s GPT store has more third-party options. Claude’s plugin and connector ecosystem is growing but smaller.
Free tier breadth: ChatGPT’s free tier includes GPT-4o access. Claude’s free tier includes Sonnet 4.5 and Haiku 4.5 with skills and connectors.
How to migrate
Section titled “How to migrate”Step 1: Map your current setup
Section titled “Step 1: Map your current setup”List the GPTs and custom instructions you use in ChatGPT. For each, identify whether the equivalent in Claude is a skill, a plugin, or a connector.
Step 2: Set up your Claude environment
Section titled “Step 2: Set up your Claude environment”Follow Your First 30 Minutes — enable skills, connect a tool, install the Productivity plugin.
Step 3: Recreate your custom instructions
Section titled “Step 3: Recreate your custom instructions”If you have custom instructions in ChatGPT, create a CLAUDE.md file or custom skill with the equivalent instructions. See Skills.
Step 4: Test your key workflows
Section titled “Step 4: Test your key workflows”Run your most important 3-5 workflows in Claude. Compare the output quality. Adjust prompts as needed — Claude and ChatGPT respond differently to the same prompts.
Step 5: Evaluate after one week
Section titled “Step 5: Evaluate after one week”Give it a full week. Some things will feel better immediately; others need adjustment. The Cowork + plugin architecture takes a few days to appreciate.
Related
Section titled “Related”- What Is Claude? — platform overview
- Your First 30 Minutes — get set up
- Choosing a Plan — which plan to choose
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