ChatGPT Business vs Claude Team for a small firm
By the InTheory team · Updated November 2026
Short answer: The plans are now closely matched: both sell Standard and Premium seats at similar published prices, offer SSO and say they do not train on your data by default. ChatGPT Business has a wider feature set and more connectors that staff may already know. Claude Team is often preferred for long documents, careful writing and Microsoft 365 add-ins. Trial both on your own documents before deciding.
| ChatGPT Business | Claude Team | |
|---|---|---|
| Team size | Teams of 2 to 200 | Teams of 2 to 150 |
| Standard seat | $20 per user per month billed annually, $25 monthly | $20 per seat per month billed annually, $25 monthly |
| Premium seat | $100 annually, $125 monthly; 5x Standard usage, no five-hour limit | $100 annually, $125 monthly; 5x Standard usage |
| Data training | No training on business data by default | No model training on your content by default |
| Connectors | Google Workspace, Slack, GitHub, Microsoft 365 and more | Remote and local connectors, Microsoft 365, enterprise search |
| Admin | SAML SSO, MFA, central billing, usage analytics, spend controls | SSO, central billing, usage analytics, connector admin controls |
| Name history | Previously called ChatGPT Team | Claude Team |
What actually differs day to day
On paper the plans look alike. The differences show up in use: how each handles a 60-page lease or engagement letter, how well it follows your firm's tone, and how it connects to the tools your team already uses. ChatGPT's ecosystem is broader and familiar to many staff. Claude is often chosen for long-context reading and writing quality.
Both vendors add features often, so check current plan pages rather than older reviews.
Mixing seat types
Both now let you mix Standard and Premium seats. For example, a 20-person firm might give Premium seats to two people who draft all day and Standard to everyone else. Review usage after a month and move seats around.
Before you roll out either
Write a short AI use policy: what client data is allowed, which tasks are approved, and that a person reviews anything sent to clients. Law firms should read ABA Formal Opinion 512, and tax and accounting firms should consider IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule. Get advice for your specific obligations.
Choose ChatGPT Business if
- Staff already use ChatGPT and you want continuity
- You want the widest set of features and integrations
- Your team is up to 200 people
- You plan to build shared workspace agents for common tasks
Choose Claude Team if
- Your work centers on long documents and careful writing
- You want Claude in Microsoft 365 and Outlook
- Your team is up to 150 people
- Your trial shows staff prefer its drafts
Common questions
Is ChatGPT Team still available?
OpenAI's help article for ChatGPT Team now redirects to its ChatGPT Business overview, and the business pricing page lists Business. Treat Business as the current name for the shared team plan.
Can I use personal ChatGPT or Claude accounts for work?
It is risky. Personal accounts lack central admin, offboarding and the business data terms. Moving staff to a business workspace gives you control over who has access and what happens to data when someone leaves.
How should we compare them fairly?
Pick three real tasks, such as summarizing a client file, drafting a proposal section and answering an internal policy question. Remove sensitive details, run each task in both, and have the person who would normally do the work score accuracy and editing time.