Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GPT-5 delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,558 vs 1,524), while Claude Sonnet 4.5 leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (70.1%), while GPT-5 is more budget-friendly at $10/1M per 1M output tokens, while Claude Sonnet 4.5 provides faster response streaming (88 tok/s). Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
10 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Workhorse Anthropic model: most of Opus coding quality at a mid-tier price.
OpenAI flagship reasoning model for 2025–26. Strong general preference Elo and multimodal coverage.
Currently comparing Claude Sonnet 4.5 vs GPT-5. Alternative family tiers available.
Simulate accuracy gains vs added response time & token cost
Reasoning models “think before answering” by generating internal reasoning tokens. Higher effort improves math, coding, and logic accuracy, but increases response delay and token costs.
Δ 34 Arena Elo pts
88 tok/s
$10 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top Western standard models with China's leading frontier rival across 6 skill dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Claude Sonnet 4.5 | GPT-5 | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +34 | ||
| Coding Elo | +9 | ||
| LiveBench | +2.4% | ||
| SWE-bench | +1.7% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +5% | ||
| Time to first token | +50 ms | ||
| Output speed | 88 tok/s | 78 tok/s | +10 tok/s |
| Input price | $1.25/1M | +$1.75/1M | |
| Output price | +$5/1M | ||
| Context window | +600k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
GPT-5 is estimated to save $136.25/month ($1,635/year).
Higher SWE-bench (70.1%).
Lower output list price ($10/1M).
Lower TTFT (240 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | Claude Sonnet 4.5 | Higher SWE-bench (70.1%). |
| High-volume chat | GPT-5 | Lower output list price ($10/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Claude Sonnet 4.5 | Lower TTFT (240 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Claude Sonnet 4.5 | Larger window (1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-5 | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5). |
Most of Opus 4.5 coding at a mid-tier price. Sonnet 5 replaced it as the buy; 4.5 remains a compare baseline.
Still a common compare target. 5.6 Sol replaced it as the buy; GPT-5 stays for old URLs.
No comments posted on this matchup yet. Be the first to share an evaluation note!
Dynamic OpenGraph banner generated at /compare/claude-sonnet-4-5-vs-gpt-5/opengraph-image
Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry