Both Claude and ChatGPT have become essential tools for many accountants. But which one should you use? The answer depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
We tested both AIs extensively on real accounting tasks to help you make an informed decision. Here’s what we found.
The Quick Summary
Choose ChatGPT when:
- You need Excel formula creation
- You want access to plugins and web browsing
- You’re doing quick, straightforward tasks
- You prefer a more conversational style
Choose Claude when:
- You’re working with long documents
- You need careful, nuanced analysis
- You want more thorough explanations
- You’re handling sensitive reasoning tasks
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Test 1: Tax Research
Task: Explain the UK rules around Entrepreneurs’ Relief (now Business Asset Disposal Relief) including qualifying conditions, limits, and common pitfalls.
ChatGPT Result: Provided a comprehensive overview covering the 10% rate, £1 million lifetime limit, and 2-year qualifying period. Good structure but occasionally included outdated terminology and missed some nuances around associated disposals.
Claude Result: More thorough explanation with clearer caveats about knowledge cutoff dates. Better at explaining the interaction between different qualifying conditions. Proactively mentioned common planning opportunities and pitfalls without being asked.
Winner: Claude – More nuanced and thorough for complex tax topics.
Test 2: Excel Formula Creation
Task: Create a formula that calculates the VAT due on each invoice in column B, but only for invoices marked as “UK” in column A, with different rates for different dates.
ChatGPT Result: Delivered a working nested IF formula on the first attempt, correctly handling the rate change dates. Clear explanation of each component.
Claude Result: Provided a correct formula but used a more complex approach. Added helpful notes about potential edge cases but took longer to get to the answer.
Winner: ChatGPT – Faster, more direct formula creation.
Test 3: Client Email Drafting
Task: Draft an email to a client explaining why we’re recommending they extract profits as dividends rather than salary, covering the tax implications.
ChatGPT Result: Produced a professional, well-structured email. Good balance of technical accuracy and accessibility. Perhaps slightly too casual in tone for some practices.
Claude Result: More formal tone, better at explaining the technical details without overwhelming the client. Included appropriate caveats about the advice being general in nature.
Winner: Tie – Both produced usable drafts; preference depends on your practice’s style.
Test 4: Document Analysis
Task: Review a 15-page shareholder agreement and summarise the key provisions affecting tax planning.
ChatGPT Result (with document upload): Identified major provisions but missed some subtle interactions between clauses. Struggled with the document length.
Claude Result: Handled the long document effectively, identifying not just the obvious provisions but also how different clauses interact. Better at flagging areas that might need further legal review.
Winner: Claude – Significantly better with long, complex documents.
Test 5: Quick Queries
Task: Various quick questions asked in sequence (VAT registration threshold, dividend allowance, corporation tax rate).
ChatGPT Result: Snappy, accurate responses. Felt like consulting a knowledgeable colleague.
Claude Result: Equally accurate but sometimes more verbose than necessary for simple queries.
Winner: ChatGPT – Better for rapid-fire questions.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ChatGPT | Claude |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing | Yes (Plus) | Limited |
| Document upload | Yes | Yes |
| Max document length | ~50 pages | ~150+ pages |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes (limited) | Yes (limited) |
| Paid tier price | £20/month | £18/month |
| Plugin ecosystem | Extensive | Limited |
| Response speed | Fast | Moderate |
Specific Accounting Use Cases
For Bookkeeping Questions
Both tools handle standard bookkeeping queries well. ChatGPT edges ahead for quick categorisation questions; Claude is better when you need to explain the reasoning behind a treatment.
For Tax Planning
Claude’s more thorough approach makes it better for tax planning scenarios where you need to consider multiple factors and interactions. It’s more likely to flag considerations you hadn’t thought of.
For Audit Preparation
If you’re analysing working papers or preparing audit documentation, Claude’s ability to handle long documents gives it a clear advantage.
For Client Communication
Both produce excellent drafts. ChatGPT tends toward a more modern, casual tone; Claude is more traditionally professional. Choose based on your practice’s communication style.
For Training and Learning
Claude excels at explaining complex topics in depth. If you’re trying to understand a new area of legislation or accounting treatment, Claude’s explanations tend to be more educational.
Integration Considerations
Microsoft 365 Users
If you’re heavily invested in Microsoft’s ecosystem, Microsoft Copilot deserves consideration alongside ChatGPT and Claude. It integrates directly into Excel, Word, and Outlook.
API and Automation
Both offer APIs for building custom integrations. ChatGPT has a more mature plugin ecosystem, but Claude’s API is well-documented and capable.
Team Usage
For practices wanting to roll out AI across the team:
- ChatGPT Team: £25/user/month with centralised admin
- Claude Team: £28/user/month with similar features
Privacy and Compliance
For accounting practices, data handling matters. Key points:
ChatGPT:
- By default, conversations may be used for training (can be disabled)
- Business and Enterprise tiers offer stronger privacy guarantees
- SOC 2 Type II compliant
Claude:
- Conversations not used for training by default
- Strong privacy stance
- SOC 2 Type II compliant
Both tools recommend against uploading identifiable client data. Use anonymised examples or generalised scenarios instead.
Our Recommendation
Most accounting practices will benefit from using both tools, choosing based on the task at hand:
Use ChatGPT for:
- Quick questions needing fast answers
- Excel and Google Sheets formula creation
- First drafts of standard communications
- Tasks benefiting from web browsing
- Plugin-enhanced workflows
Use Claude for:
- Complex tax research
- Long document analysis
- Nuanced advisory work
- Situations requiring careful reasoning
- Educational explanations
The cost of subscribing to both (roughly £40/month) is easily justified by the productivity gains from using the right tool for each task.
Getting the Most from Either Tool
Regardless of which AI you choose, follow these principles:
- Be specific – Provide context about your role, the client type, and what you need
- Iterate – Your first prompt rarely produces the perfect result
- Verify – Always check important facts against authoritative sources
- Protect data – Never upload identifiable client information
- Learn prompting – Time invested in prompt engineering pays dividends
Both ChatGPT and Claude are remarkably capable tools. The accountants seeing the biggest benefits are those who’ve taken time to understand each tool’s strengths and apply them appropriately.
Want to see detailed reviews? Check out our ChatGPT review and Claude review.
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