$ ai --recommend
Which AI Should You Use? A Task-by-Task Guide
Pick what you want to do and see the best AI for the task, the best free option and the cheapest API — a Brazilian curation, with no vendor sponsorship.
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What do you want to do with AI?
For coding, our pick:
Best pick
Claude (app or Claude Code)
It is the current benchmark for writing and reviewing code; Claude Code takes the model straight into your terminal and editor.
API: US$ 3 input / US$ 15 output per 1M tokens
Best free option
DeepSeek (app/web)
A free app with a model that is strong at code — which is exactly how it caught on with Brazilian devs.
API: US$ 0,28 input / US$ 0,42 output per 1M tokens
Budget API (for devs)
GPT-5 mini (API)
For generating tests, simple refactors and high-volume tasks, the price per token pays off.
API: US$ 0,25 input / US$ 2 output per 1M tokens
Tip: What improves the result most is not switching models: it is giving context — files, error messages and tests in the same conversation.
Going to use it through the API? Estimate the cost in the Token Counter →
Model catalogue (API pricing)
| Model | US$/1M input | US$/1M output | Context | Free? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 4.5Anthropic the benchmark for code and for text with a natural tone; it powers Claude Code | 3,00 | 15,00 | 200k | yes |
| Claude Haiku 4.5Anthropic fast and cheap for automations, keeping Anthropic quality | 1,00 | 5,00 | 200k | API only |
| Claude Opus 4.5Anthropic Anthropic’s flagship for the hardest problems | 5,00 | 25,00 | 200k | API only |
| GPT-5.1OpenAI the ChatGPT generalist — versatile, with built-in data analysis | 1,25 | 10,00 | 400k | yes |
| GPT-5 miniOpenAI OpenAI’s value pick for apps and automations | 0,25 | 2,00 | 400k | yes |
| Gemini 3 ProGoogle 1-million-token context, multimodal and a generous free app | 2,00 | 12,00 | 1.000k | yes |
| Gemini 2.5 FlashGoogle Google’s cheap workhorse for high-volume tasks | 0,30 | 2,50 | 1.000k | yes |
| DeepSeek V3.2DeepSeek the open-weights model that made cheap AI mainstream — the 2nd most searched AI name in Brazil in 2025 | 0,28 | 0,42 | 128k | yes |
| Grok 4xAI built into X, strong on real-time information | 3,00 | 15,00 | 256k | yes |
Editorial curation by CodeCrush, with no vendor sponsorship — updated on 17/07/2026. Prices from the public API tables; check the current rate before signing up.
How to choose the right AI (the method)
The question “which is the best AI?” is badly framed — what exists is the best AI for your task. A model that is excellent for coding can be mediocre at summarizing a contract, and the best image generator is not the best for spreadsheets. Our curation evaluates four criteria in every recommendation: quality at the specific task (hands-on testing, not generic benchmarks), price (from the free plan to the API cost per million tokens), context window (how much material the model can read at once) and ecosystem (integration with the tools you already use, like Google Sheets or the terminal).
Another rule worth more than any model switch: context. Giving examples of your tone of voice, pasting the full error message or uploading the whole document improves the output of any AI more than migrating to the release of the week.
The main models in one sentence each
- Claude (Anthropic) — the reference in code and the most natural-sounding text; Sonnet 4.5 is the balanced pick, Opus the top of the line, Haiku the fast cheap one.
- ChatGPT / GPT-5.1 (OpenAI) — the most complete generalist, with data analysis and code execution inside the chat.
- Gemini (Google) — 1 million tokens of context, multimodal, the most generous free plan and Nano Banana for images.
- DeepSeek — the Chinese open-weights model that popularized quality AI for free; the 2nd most searched AI name in Brazil in 2025.
- Grok (xAI) — integrated with X, strong on real-time events.
- NotebookLM (Google) — not a generic chatbot: it is the best study tool grounded in your own sources, and it is free.
Editorial criteria and independence
The recommendations on this page are CodeCrush’s editorial opinion, based on hands-on testing — not on relayed benchmark scores. We receive no sponsorship from any model vendor, and OpenAI, Anthropic and Google do not even offer affiliate programs: our only metric is the recommendation still being right when you use it. The curation is reviewed at every relevant release, with the date of the last review always visible in the catalog above. Found something outdated? Reach out through our contact page.
## faq
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best AI in 2026?
There is no "best AI" — there is the best one for each task. Claude leads in code and natural-sounding text, ChatGPT (GPT-5.1) is the most complete generalist with built-in data analysis, Gemini has the largest context window and the most generous free plan, and DeepSeek delivers surprising quality for free. That is why this guide recommends by task, not by brand.
What is the best free AI?
For general use, the Gemini app has the most generous free plan; free ChatGPT is great for quick questions; DeepSeek is the strongest option without paying anything, especially for code; and NotebookLM is unbeatable (and free) for studying from your own materials. The right answer depends on the task — use the selector above.
What is the best AI for coding?
Claude (Sonnet 4.5) is the current reference in code generation and review, and Claude Code brings the model to the terminal and the editor. As a free alternative, DeepSeek delivers a lot; for high-volume API tasks (tests, simple refactors), "mini" models like GPT-5 mini have the best cost per token.
ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude: which one should I pick?
Rule of thumb: Claude for writing and coding with quality; ChatGPT as the everyday Swiss Army knife (including spreadsheets and data analysis); Gemini for huge documents (1 million tokens of context), integration with the Google ecosystem and the best free plan. Many professionals use two of them in parallel.
Are the API prices shown in Brazilian reais?
Vendors charge in US dollars per million tokens — we show the official values in US$. To find out what that becomes in Brazilian reais (with the day’s exchange rate, IOF tax and card spread), use our Token Counter, which simulates the monthly cost of your use case in R$.
How often is this page updated?
The curation is reviewed at every relevant model release — the date of the last review appears below the catalog. The recommendations are editorial and independent: we have no sponsorship or affiliate program with any model vendor (OpenAI, Anthropic and Google do not even offer one).
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