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In short
- Same job: both are coding agents that read, edit and run.
- Different homes: Claude Code lives in the Anthropic and Claude world, Codex in the OpenAI and ChatGPT world.
- Pick by plan and habit. Use both if you want a second opinion.
The short comparison
We are RocketLauncher, a software company, and we use both tools. This table covers what is stable. Features change fast, so check each vendor's docs for the latest.
| Claude Code | Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Anthropic | OpenAI |
| Access through | Paid Claude plans (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise) or a Console account | ChatGPT plans, plus other sign-in options |
| Terminal | Yes, claude | Yes, codex |
| Editor | VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin | Extension for VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf, plus Xcode and JetBrains integrations |
| Desktop and web | Desktop app and Claude Code on the web | Desktop app and Codex on the web |
| Project instructions | CLAUDE.md, can read AGENTS.md | AGENTS.md, created with /init |
| Connect other tools | MCP servers | MCP servers |
| Reusable workflows | Skills, hooks, subagents | See the Codex docs for current options |
| Free plan | Not on the Free Claude plan | Check the current Codex pricing page |
What they have in common
- Both read your whole project, not just one file.
- Both edit several files in one task and can run your tests.
- Both ask permission before risky actions, and you can tune how much.
- Both read a markdown file of project rules.
- Both work with git and can help write commits.
- Both can be wrong. You still review the result.
Where they differ
Where you pay
This is often the real deciding factor. If you already pay for Claude, Claude Code is the easy start. If you already pay for ChatGPT, so is Codex. Limits are shared with the rest of your plan in both cases. Do not rely on third-party numbers for usage limits. Check the vendor pages.
Extras around the agent
Claude Code has a large set of add-ons: skills, hooks, subagents and MCP servers. Codex also supports MCP and project instructions. Both ecosystems grow quickly, so compare the current docs rather than an old list.
Feel
People describe the tools differently. Some prefer one tool's style of planning, asking and explaining. Taste is personal, and models change with every release, so a verdict from last month may not hold. The honest way to choose is to run the same task through both.
When to pick which
Pick Claude Code when:
- You already pay for a Claude plan.
- You want skills, hooks and a deep add-on ecosystem.
- You want to connect Claude to your tools, for example GoHighLevel.
Pick Codex when:
- You already pay for ChatGPT.
- You like handing larger tasks to the web version and checking back later.
- Your team already uses
AGENTS.md.
Pick either when you are new. Learn the habits first: small tasks, git, review.
What neither tool does for you
- It does not know your client. You still need to talk to them.
- It does not replace testing. Run the code and click through it.
- It does not decide what to build. A clear brief gets a better result.
- It does not make a weak offer strong. Pick a real problem for a real business first, then build.
Use both
Using two agents is cheap insurance. A simple pattern:
- Write your rules once in
AGENTS.md. - Let one tool build the change.
- Ask the other tool to review the diff and run the tests.
- Fix what the reviewer finds, then commit.
A second model catches different mistakes. It also keeps you from depending on one vendor's limits or outages.
How to test them fairly
- Pick one small, real task, such as "add a contact form with validation".
- Start from the same git commit for each tool.
- Give both the same prompt and the same project rules.
- Compare the diff, the tests and the time taken.
- Repeat on a second task. One test is not a verdict.
Setup guides: Codex step by step, Claude Code in VS Code, and Claude Code on a budget.
Turn it into a service with GoHighLevel
Either tool can help you build things for local businesses, such as websites, booking flows, lead forms and follow-up automations, and then run them on GoHighLevel. The agent writes and fixes the pieces, and GoHighLevel provides the CRM, messaging, calendars and payments. Our Claude Code + GoHighLevel kit lays out the full process, and the same method works with Codex. Browse the other build and sell kits for receptionists, websites and lead generation. We make no income promises. Results depend on your work and your clients.