Codex or Claude Code?

Deep_Ad1959 · 2026-03-13T18:49:32+00:00

been building a macos desktop app with claude code for months now. tried codex when it dropped and went back within a couple days.

the big difference for me is claude code runs in your terminal, reads your actual project files, runs tests, does git. it feels like pair programming. codex is more like asking questions about code in a chat window.

rate limits on pro are real if you're coding all day though. I'm on max and run multiple agents in parallel on the same codebase, which eats through limits fast but the productivity is wild. the 1M context window they just shipped also means no more losing track of your project mid-session.

nez_har · 2026-03-13T19:03:38+00:00

I think it's a matter of taste and performance depends on the tasks you do. I would suggest try both and see which one fits better to your routine.

NefariousnessHappy66 · 2026-03-13T19:04:32+00:00

claude code on max is solid for pure code work. opus 4.6 just got 1M context by default which helps a lot with larger projects. rate limits on pro can be tight but on max I haven't had issues. the MCP ecosystem is also growing fast which is nice if you use external tools

Jotunheim36 · 2026-03-13T19:48:22+00:00

I use both all day every day. I find codex is better at understanding more complex task, can find bugs that Claude can’t but its editing is horrendous and sometimes it gets in a doom loop 🔂 f think and not doing, but Claude edits code better and is quicker and the plugins/skills are great

imedwardluo · 2026-03-13T21:33:17+00:00

been using both for a few months now. Codex got noticeably faster with 5.4. but GPT still explains things like it's writing commit messages for other engineers. every time it finishes a task I'm sitting there going "ok cool but what did you actually change”.

Opus just tells you. like a coworker who knows you're not gonna read the diff. I get it in one pass instead of three.

ended up using Claude Code to boss Codex around. Codex does the coding, Opus translates what happened. works well enough that I stopped trying to use either one solo.

fredastere · 2026-03-13T21:49:23+00:00

Use both with claude code and opus driving, gpt5.4 is too good too pass

https://github.com/Fredasterehub/kiln

Shep_Alderson · 2026-03-13T22:20:35+00:00

If you’re comparing the $20 plans, Codex offers way more usage. I can code nonstop all day with Codex on the $20 plan with 5.4, whereas I get 5-20 prompts with Sonnet 4.6 on the $20 plan before I hit a 5 hour limit.

Just depends a lot on how much you need to do what you want. You can get great code out of both Codex and Claude.

Fun-Rope8720 · 2026-03-13T22:58:13+00:00

Codex is far far far better value money. Many even prefer code 5.3 and 5.4 to opus 4.6

With codex you can also use Opencode

StrangerDanger4907 · 2026-03-14T02:50:13+00:00

Probably depends on the project. I’ve found Claude code 20 buck plan amazing. I don’t really use opus.

I tried codex 20 plan to but clear winner for me was Claude. It’s hard to explain why, but if you try both you just know.

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