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Of the tools on this list, the best AI for coding on independent scores is Claude Code. Codex from OpenAI and Grok Build from SpaceXAI then follow. We rank each tool by its best entry on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index, which tests a coding agent together with its model.
But cost per task changes the picture. Claude Code’s top entry scores 68 at $14.19 per task, while Codex scores 63 at $1.04. The sections below cover each agent’s score, price and catch.
Best AI for Coding: The Short Answer
Among the best AI for coding on this list, Claude Code scores highest and Codex gives the most per dollar. Claude Code comes with Claude Pro at $20 a month. Meanwhile, Codex comes with every ChatGPT plan, from Free with limited access to Plus at $20. At the same score of 63, Codex costs about a third as much per task as Claude Code.
Cheaper and open options exist further down. Grok Build with Grok 4.7 scored 56, and DeepSeek’s model runs inside Codex for $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak. Google’s Antigravity CLI is also free, with a smaller quota. However, their index scores sit lower, and DeepSeek stores data in China.
The List at a Glance
| Tool and agent | Best index entry | Cost per task |
|---|---|---|
| Claude: Claude Code | 68 (Sonnet 5.5, max) | $14.19 |
| ChatGPT: Codex | 63 (GPT-6.1 Sol, xhigh) | $1.04 |
| Grok: Grok Build | 56 (Grok 4.7, xhigh) | Not on the page we read |
| DeepSeek: V4 Pro in Codex | 43.1 (max), via BenchLM | Not on the page we read |
| Gemini: Antigravity SDK | 41.9 (3.8 Flash, high), via BenchLM | Not on the page we read |
How We Ordered the Best AI for Coding
This list of the best AI for coding follows each tool’s highest entry on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index. Because the index combines several agentic coding tests, it scores the agent and model together. The same model can therefore score differently in different agents. We show cost per task wherever Artificial Analysis published it, because it varies more than the scores do.
We left Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot off because neither has an entry on the index in the sources we read. GitHub Copilot and Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, have no entry on the index either, so they are not ranked; our GitHub Copilot review and Windsurf review cover them. For the general field, see our list of the best AI tools.
1. Claude Code: The Top Score, at a Price
Claude Code with Sonnet 5.5 at maximum effort scores 68 on Artificial Analysis’s comparison page, at $14.19 and about 1.5 hours per task. At Extra High effort, however, it scores 63 at $3.33. It comes with Claude Pro at $20 a month or $200 a year, and Max raises the limits from $100.
The catch: Claude Code shares its usage pool with Claude chat, the free plan does not include it, and its shell sandbox must be switched on. Our guide to Claude for coding covers the details.
2. Codex: Best Value Among the Leaders
Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol at Extra High effort scores 63 at $1.04 and about 15 minutes per task. Meanwhile, with GPT-6 Astra at maximum effort, it scores 62 at $7.47. It also comes with every ChatGPT plan, and its sandbox keeps network access off by default.
The catch: Codex shares its allowance with ChatGPT Work, and Plus gets only limited GPT-6 Astra use. Our guide to ChatGPT for coding covers the details.
3. Grok Build: A Cheaper Frontier Option
According to Artificial Analysis on September 21, 2026, Grok Build with Grok 4.7 at Extra High effort scored 56. Grok 4.7’s API costs $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens, guides from Morph and GeoToolbox report.
The catch: Grok’s consumer prices come from third-party readings and may change, and its January 2026 image scandal led to blocks in two countries. Details are in our Grok review.
4. DeepSeek: Cheapest Model, Open Weights
Running inside Codex, DeepSeek V4 Pro scored 43.1, according to BenchLM’s mirror of the index. DeepSeek’s API supports Codex with one-click setup, its news page says, and V4.1 Flash costs $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak, with open weights.
The catch: DeepSeek stores data in China, and several governments restrict its app. Still, self-hosting the open weights avoids that, as our ChatGPT vs DeepSeek comparison explains.
5. Gemini: Free Tools, Lower Index Score
Google’s Antigravity SDK with Gemini 3.8 Flash at high effort scored 41.9, according to BenchLM’s mirror of the index. Google’s Antigravity CLI, which replaced Gemini CLI for free and Google AI accounts on June 18, 2026, is free with a smaller quota, several guides report. Google AI Pro costs $19.99 a month.
The catch: Gemini’s index entry is the lowest on this list. Google announced Gemini 4 Argon on September 30 with coding claims that no independent board has tested yet. Details are in our Gemini review.
Which Tool for Which Coder
In the end, the best AI for coding on this list depends on what you optimize. Top score: Claude Code, at 68. Score per dollar: Codex, at 63 for $1.04 a task. Free start: Codex on ChatGPT Free, or Antigravity CLI. Self-hosting: DeepSeek’s open weights. Finally, for yearly plan costs, see our yearly cost breakdown.
Our head-to-head pages compare the leading coding tools directly: ChatGPT vs Cursor, Claude vs Cursor and Cursor vs GitHub Copilot.
GitHub Copilot also meets the two chat assistants in our ChatGPT vs GitHub Copilot and Claude vs GitHub Copilot comparisons.
Whichever agent you pick, review what it writes. Our guides to reviewing AI-generated code and using AI for debugging cover checklists and safe agent settings. For front-end prototypes, moreover, our v0 review covers Vercel’s interface builder.
Before You Let an Agent Touch Your Code
Keep sandboxes on and network access limited, and review every change before it merges. On personal plans, coding sessions train the vendor’s models by default at OpenAI and Anthropic until you opt out, while business plans skip training by default.
We also cover each coding task in its own step-by-step guide: code documentation, unit tests and refactoring with AI.
For new projects, moreover, our guides to API integration help and generating UI with AI cover the first build.
Our list of the best AI app builders ranks prompt-to-app tools, and our guide to GitHub Copilot for teams covers seats, credits and admin controls.
How We Research
Scores come from Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index, read on September 30 and October 1, 2026. We used its Claude Code vs Codex page, its post on Grok 4.7, and BenchLM’s mirror for the DeepSeek and Gemini entries. Plan details, meanwhile, come from each company’s pages and our reviews. The Gemini CLI change comes from guides citing Google’s announcement.
We also run no coding tests of our own. Our criteria live on our about page.
Best AI for Coding FAQ
Of the tools on this list, Claude Code has the top score on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index, at 68. Codex scores 63 at about a third of the cost per task.
It scores higher at the top, 68 against 63. However, at the same score of 63, Codex costs $1.04 per task and Claude Code $3.33.
Codex comes with ChatGPT Free as a limited trial, and Google’s Antigravity CLI is free with a smaller quota, several guides report.
For paid API use, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash costs $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak. Among the top agents, Codex also has the lowest published cost per task.
Possibly. Google announced it on September 30, 2026 with its own coding claims, but no independent index had tested it yet.
The Verdict
Among the best AI for coding on this list, Claude Code leads on score and Codex leads on value. Grok Build is a cheaper frontier option, DeepSeek suits self-hosting, and Gemini offers free tools with a lower score.
Pick by what you pay per finished task, not by score alone, and keep the sandbox on whichever you choose.