CHOOSE YOUR OBJECTIVE
GPT-6 Astra · Work · Codex
Opus 5.5 · Fable · Cowork / Code
3.8 Flash · Deep Think · Spark
Grok ecosystem · 4.7 in Build
Access unverifiedCURRENT FIELD REPORT
Opus 5.5 gives Claude the strongest new evidence in professional work, with competitive coding results. That makes it our provisional all-around pick. Writing taste and research workflows remain close calls; this is not a clean sweep.
An evidence-based editorial assessment.
GPT-6 Astra · Work · Codex
Astra remains a close contender, especially for demanding research and connected workflows.
Highest individual Pro allowance. Includes the broader Work/Codex ecosystem; extra usage purchases are excluded.
Opus 5.5 · Fable · Cowork / Code
The newest independent results favor Opus 5.5 for professional work.
Highest individual Max allowance. Fable has its own allocation; Opus is the basis of the newest benchmark evidence.
3.8 Flash · Deep Think · Spark
A broad Google workspace and research toolkit. A current four-way app comparison is still missing.
The highest Ultra option. Advanced features have country and rollout restrictions; private model previews are excluded.
Grok ecosystem · 4.7 in Build
4.7 strengthens knowledge work and coding; precise Heavy access remains a coverage gap.
Heavy is documented, but precise model and effort entitlements remain partially unverified. No private preview is counted.
Sources behind this overall assessment. Company claims are identified; access and independent results are checked separately.
Opus 5.5 leads the Intelligence Index and professional-work evaluations; terminal coding is level with Astra. These are model-and-harness tests, not a test of every consumer plan.
Grok improves in professional work and coding. Its latest coding-agent results trail the leading Claude and Astra systems; higher token use complicates efficiency claims.
The latest Opus release adds work and communication improvements. Vendor scores and early-access testimonials are treated as launch evidence, not independent replication.
Google confirms 3.8 Flash for AI Pro and Ultra. The free and AI Plus plans are not assumed to include the same flagship access.
Go is the first paid tier; Pro includes Astra reasoning. Free has limited research and desktop Work access. Live rollout notes take precedence over older model rows.
Pro includes Opus, Research and Claude Code. Max 20x increases capacity. Free includes Sonnet and Haiku, but not Opus or the dedicated Research feature.
Free lists 3.6 Flash, limited 3.1 Pro and Deep Research. AI Plus expands usage; Ultra’s largest option adds more capacity and access to advanced features.
Paid Grok products share a weekly usage pool. The public FAQ describes SuperGrok and Heavy, but does not fully verify the latest model allocation for each plan.
The indexed post announces the new Intelligence Index leader. Full post access was unavailable; the linked evaluation is the substantive evidence, not a second independent vote.
A first-hand account finds both useful and highlights workflow and usage-limit tradeoffs. It predates Opus 5.5, so it provides context rather than a current winner.
The September 23 rollout adds productivity and creative connections, including Airtable, Linear, Adobe and Webflow. The announcement does not specify identical access for every plan or independently demonstrate task reliability.
HOW WE CALL IT
We compare tools you can actually use in each plan, across writing, research, coding, and completing tasks. Each category has equal importance in the overall editorial call. A model announcement alone doesn’t win a category.
01 / Check the gate. Verify current model access, restrictions, and product availability for every tier. Private previews and business-only plans are excluded.
02 / Weigh the evidence. Comparable independent tests and published research lead. Official releases establish features. Articles and first-hand posts on X add context; likes are not scores.
03 / Make the call. Every category gets a practical recommendation. “Lean” means our best estimate when comparisons are incomplete or close; “Current pick” has stronger comparative support. We explain the tradeoff, show confidence, and revise the call as evidence changes. We never invent benchmark scores.
Ratings are editorial judgments, not standardized benchmark scores. “Unverified” means missing evidence, not poor performance. Colors identify platforms; they do not imply risk or rank.