Claude

What Is It, In Plain Words?

Claude is an AI assistant made by a company called Anthropic. You type a question or paste in some text, and it replies in plain words a few seconds later.

It's especially good with long pieces of writing. You can paste in a long letter or upload a document and ask what it means. Like all chatbots, it can get facts wrong.

What You Can Use It For

• Making sense of paperwork. Paste in your tenancy agreement or a long letter from the council and ask, "What are the three things I need to do?"
• Careful writing. "Help me write a sympathy card message for a friend who has lost her husband." Its writing tends to sound natural.
• Learning. "Explain how a heat pump works, as if I'm 70 and not technical."

Getting Started Step By Step

On A Computer

1. Open your web browser and go to claude.ai. Check the address carefully, because look-alike sites exist.
2. Click Sign up or Continue with Google. You can also use your email address, and Anthropic will email you a link to confirm it.
3. You'll see a box in the middle that says something like "How can I help you today?"
4. Type your question and press Enter.
5. To ask about a document, click the paperclip or + button next to the box and choose the file.

On A Phone Or Tablet

1. Open the App Store (iPhone and iPad) or Google Play (Android).
2. Search for Claude and check it's made by Anthropic. Copycat apps exist.
3. Tap Get or Install, then open it.
4. Sign in with the same account, then type in the box at the bottom or tap the microphone.

Things To Try Typing

Copy any of these, or change the details to suit you.

What It Costs

Prices checked 16 October 2026 on the official Claude pricing page. Prices can change, so check there before you pay.

The pricing page showed prices in US dollars only when we checked, so we haven't printed UK figures. Most beginners won't need to pay.

Privacy And Safety

• What it keeps. Claude saves your chats to your account so you can return to them. You can delete any chat.
• Anthropic lets you choose whether your chats help train its AI. Look in Settings, then Privacy, and check the setting there.
• Never type passwords, PINs, bank or card numbers, your National Insurance number (UK) or Social Security number (USA).
• Check important answers about health, money or the law with your doctor, pharmacist, bank or a qualified adviser.

Good Points And Watch-Outs

Good Points

• Good at long documents and careful, natural writing.
• Often says when it isn't sure.
• On a computer, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on a Mac) and press + to make the words bigger. On a phone, it follows your text size setting.

Watch-Outs

• It can be wrong and sound sure. Check anything important.
• The free plan runs out of messages if you use it a lot in one day.
• It isn't built into a phone or computer you already own, so you need to sign up.

Similar Tools

• ChatGPT: the best-known chatbot, with a simple app and voice mode.
• Gemini: Google's assistant, handy if you use Gmail or an Android phone.
• Perplexity: an AI search engine that shows where each answer came from.

Common Questions

Is Claude free?

Yes. There's a free version with daily limits. Paid plans give you more use.

Who makes Claude?

Claude is made by Anthropic, an AI company based in San Francisco.

Can Claude read a document for me?

Yes. Click the paperclip or + button to upload a file, then ask it to explain or summarise it. Don't upload anything with bank or ID details.

Is Claude better than ChatGPT?

They're similar. Claude is often liked for careful writing and long documents, while ChatGPT has more extras. Both are free to try.