Full comparison
Codex vs Microsoft Copilot vs Claude Cowork
Three desktop AI agents, side by side: what they are, who they're for, what they cost, and where each one falls short. We don't crown a single winner because there isn't one.
Reviewed June 17, 2026. Verify details on official pages.
Feature matrix
Eleven things that actually differ
Green isn't "the winner" — it just marks where a feature is fully there.
| Feature | OpenAI Codex | Microsoft Copilot | Claude Cowork |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | OpenAI | Microsoft | Anthropic |
| Desktop app | ✓ macOS & Windows | ✓ Windows + Office apps | ✓ macOS & Windows |
| No coding required | ✗ developer tool | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works on a local folder you choose | ~ repo / sandbox | ~ within Office & OneDrive | ✓ pick a folder |
| Autonomous multi-step agent | ✓ | ~ assistant + agents | ✓ |
| Built for coding | ✓ strong | ~ via GitHub Copilot | ~ can code, not specialised |
| Office docs (Word, Excel, PPT) | ✗ | ✓ | ~ creates files |
| Connectors (Gmail, Drive, Slack, Notion) | ~ | ✓ Microsoft graph | ✓ |
| Runs in terminal / IDE | ✓ CLI & VS Code | ~ GitHub Copilot | ✗ |
| Best for | Developers shipping code | People living in Microsoft 365 & Windows | General file & computer tasks, no code |
| Starts at (individual) | With ChatGPT Plus ~$20 | M365 Premium ~$20 | With a paid Claude plan (Pro ~$20) |
✓ yes~ partial / depends✗ no
Head to head
The match-ups people search
Quick, honest verdicts.
| Match-up | Short verdict |
|---|---|
| Codex vs Claude Cowork | Codex is a specialised coding agent; Claude Cowork is a general file/computer agent. Developers lean Codex; everyone else leans Cowork. |
| Copilot vs Claude Cowork | Copilot is strongest inside Microsoft 365 and Windows; Claude Cowork is a more autonomous agent for arbitrary files and tasks. Different lanes. |
| Codex vs Microsoft Copilot | For coding, Codex is the more autonomous agent; Copilot's coding lives in GitHub Copilot. For Office work, Copilot wins easily. |
| All three for non-coders | Codex is out (it's a dev tool). It comes down to Copilot (if you're in Microsoft 365) vs Claude Cowork (for general, app-agnostic file work). |
Pricing
What each costs (indicative)
Prices shift and vary by plan and region. These are individual starting points in USD — confirm on official pages.
| App | Typical individual price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex | Included with ChatGPT Plus (~$20), Pro 5x (~$100), Pro 20x (~$200) | Heavy or API/agent use can cost more; usage limits apply. |
| Microsoft Copilot | Free tier; Microsoft 365 Premium (~$20); business Microsoft 365 Copilot (~$30/user) | Standalone Copilot Pro was folded into Microsoft 365 Premium in 2025/26. |
| Claude Cowork | Included for paying Claude subscribers (Pro ~$20 and up) | Available on macOS and Windows in the Claude desktop app. |