Claude vs Sesame (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Claude if

• Fits if you want writing, analysis and coding help from one assistant
• Works for developers, as every paid plan includes the Claude Code agent

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you work in long bursts, since usage is capped in rolling five-hour sessions on every plan, and paid plans add weekly limits
• Pricey if you wanted a small first step, as nothing sits between Free and Pro at $17 a month billed annually, $20 monthly
• Not for you if you expect easy refunds, because payments are generally non-refundable and listed prices exclude tax
• Watch out: Enterprise bills usage at API rates on top of the seat, and the Max 20x tier has no price on the pricing page
• Skip it if you need image generation or a voice mode, as neither is on record, and the Linux app is still in beta

Pick Sesame if

• Fits if you want to talk to an AI by voice on your phone for free
• Works for iPhone owners who want it to reach Gmail and Calendar

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a desktop or web app, as only phones are listed
• Watch out: the maker calls the iOS release a preview and has published no later pricing
• Not for you if you need a language other than English, which the maker calls early and less reliable
• Watch out: the app is limited to a list of supported countries

Claude

• Usage is capped in rolling five-hour sessions on every plan, and paid plans add weekly limits.
• Projects, Research, Claude Code and the Chrome and Microsoft 365 extensions are not in the Free plan.
• Enterprise bills usage at API rates on top of the seat price, and the Max 20x tier has no price on the pricing page.
• Payments are generally non-refundable, listed prices exclude tax, and the Linux desktop app is in beta.

Sesame

• The maker still calls the iOS release a preview, and the full experience was free at launch with no later pricing published.
• Sesame officially supports English; other languages work but are described as early and less reliable.
• The app is limited to a list of supported countries, so it may not be available everywhere.
• The app list on the maker's site says it is available on iOS and Android, but only the iOS listing was read for details.

Claude

Chat for writing, analysis and code

Write and edit content, generate code and visualize data in a conversation on the web, in desktop apps or on mobile.

Files, code execution and Artifacts

Claude can create files, run code and present generated content as Artifacts. All three are part of the Free plan.

Web search and Research

Web search is available on every plan. Research, for longer investigations, is listed with the paid plans.

Memory and Projects

Memory carries context across conversations on every plan. Projects, which organize chats and documents, start with Pro.

Connectors

Connect apps and tools such as Slack and Google Workspace, or add other context and tools through remote MCP connectors.

Claude Code

A coding agent for the terminal, VS Code and JetBrains. It is included in all paid plans and draws on the same usage pool as chat.

Sesame

Voice and text conversation

Agents are built for spoken back-and-forth and can be texted when talking is not practical.

Four characters

Maya, Miles, Simone and Charlie each have their own personality and voice, and each keeps its own memory and app access.

Connected apps

Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive can be connected, and external MCP servers that use OAuth are supported.

Skills

A skill is a plain-language playbook created in conversation that runs on demand or on a schedule.

Incognito mode

In this mode nothing new is saved to memory or to Sesame's servers, according to the App Store description.

Claude

• Free$0

  Chat on web, desktop and mobile, with web search, file creation, code execution, memory, connectors and Artifacts.

• Pro$17

  per month, billed annually ($200 up front)

  More usage, Projects, Research, Claude Code, task scheduling, more models and Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365. $20 if billed monthly.

• Team$20

  per seat / month, billed annually

  For teams of 2 to 150, with SSO and central billing. $25 if billed monthly. Premium seats with 5x more usage are $100, or $125 monthly.

• Enterprise$20

  per seat / month, billed annually, plus usage at API rates

  Team features plus spend limits, role-based access, SCIM, audit logs, a compliance API and custom data retention.

• MaxFrom $100

  per month

  Everything in Pro with a choice of 5x or 20x more usage, higher output limits, early access to features and priority at busy times.

Sesame

• Free$0

  The app is free; the maker has published no paid plan and no usage limits.

Claude

• Annual discount

  Lower price with annual billing

  Pro is $17 per month on an annual subscription ($200 billed up front) instead of $20 billed monthly. Team seats are $20 instead of $25, and premium seats $100 instead of $125.

• Nonprofit

  Nonprofit Team pricing from $3 per user

  Registered 501(c)(3) organizations, their international equivalents and K-12 schools can get the Team plan for $8 per user / month, or $3 in low- or middle-income countries.

• Education

  University-wide Education plan

  Anthropic offers institutions a university-wide plan covering students, faculty and staff at discounted rates, arranged through its Education team.

• Startups

  Startup program with API credits

  Venture-backed startups founded within the last four years can apply for free credits and priority rate limits. Credits apply to the Claude API, not to chat subscriptions.

Sesame

No public discounts listed.