Overview
ChatGPT is the model that started the AI revolution and remains the most widely used. OpenAI offers several models — GPT-4o for general use, o1 for complex reasoning, and o3 for advanced tasks. ChatGPT is a strong all-around choice for vibe coding with the largest ecosystem of integrations.
The Model Lineup
| Model | Context | Best For | Cost (Input / Output) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | 128K | General coding, fast iteration | $2.50 / $10 |
| GPT-4o mini | 128K | Simple tasks, autocomplete | $0.15 / $0.60 |
| o1 | 200K | Complex reasoning, tricky bugs | $15 / $60 |
| o3 | 200K | Advanced coding & math | $10 / $40 |
Strengths for Vibe Coding
- Massive ecosystem: Integrated into GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and dozens of other tools
- GPT-4o speed: Fast response times make iterative vibe coding smooth
- Multimodal: Can process images — screenshot your UI bug and ask it to fix it
- Reasoning models: o1 and o3 can "think" through complex problems step-by-step before coding
- Plugins and tools: Code Interpreter can actually run code and show results
- Broad training: Extensive knowledge of frameworks, libraries, and APIs
Weaknesses
- Instruction following: Can drift from instructions or add unwanted features — less precise than Claude
- Code verbosity: Tends to generate more boilerplate and comments than necessary
- Context handling: 128K window is large but smaller than Claude's 200K — matters for big projects
- Inconsistency: Quality can vary between conversations for similar prompts
ChatGPT vs Claude for Vibe Coding
| Aspect | ChatGPT (GPT-4o) | Claude (Sonnet 4.5) |
|---|---|---|
| Code quality | Very good | Slightly better |
| Instruction following | Good | Better |
| Speed | Fast | Fast |
| Ecosystem / integrations | Largest | Growing |
| Multimodal (images) | Excellent | Good |
| Price | $2.50/$10 | $3/$15 |
| Context window | 128K | 200K |
ChatGPT is a great choice if you're already in the OpenAI ecosystem, use GitHub Copilot, or want multimodal capabilities. For pure code generation quality and instruction following, Claude has a slight edge — but the gap is small and either will serve you well.