Which Claude Do I Need?
Claude comes in several versions, and the names overlap. Answer three questions and we’ll tell you which one fits what you want to do, where you work, and whether you need a paid plan.
- • The free plan covers this: chat, web search, and file creation are included.
- • Not sure about paying yet? A guest pass gives you a free week of Pro to try it.
Only download Claude from Anthropic’s official sources. Claude pricing explained · Free week of Pro (guest pass)
The versions of Claude, in plain English
It’s the same Claude underneath. What changes is where you use it and what it can reach. Here’s the short version of each:
| Version | Best for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Claude on the web | Questions, writing, research, quick tasks | Any browser at claude.ai |
| Claude desktop app | Everything on the web, plus work with files on your computer and longer tasks | Mac, Windows, Linux (beta) |
| Claude mobile app | Questions on the go; starting and checking tasks | iPhone and Android |
| Claude in Chrome | Working with web pages and open tabs | Chrome extension side panel |
| Claude Code | Writing and changing software | Terminal, code editors, desktop app, web |
Everything you add to your account, such as Projects, connectors, and skills, follows you between these versions when you sign in with the same account.
What happened to Claude Cowork?
Until September 2026, Cowork was a separate mode in the desktop app for longer tasks: organizing a folder, building a report from several files, working across your connected apps. On September 16, 2026, Anthropic merged it into regular Claude for Pro and Max, so you no longer pick a mode. You ask for what you need, and Claude decides whether it’s a quick answer or a longer task. Team and Free plans are getting the merged version next.
That’s why this tool asks what you want to do rather than which product you want. If you want Claude to do longer work on your files, the answer is the desktop app on a paid plan, whatever it happens to be called this month. Our guide to Claude chat vs. Cowork explains the change in detail.
Why the desktop app matters for real work
Longer tasks run on Anthropic’s servers, so they keep going after you close your laptop. But three things only work through the desktop app on your own computer, and only while it’s open:
- Reading and saving files in folders on your computer
- Using your browser and open tabs
- Computer use, where Claude operates other apps on your screen (in beta on Pro and Max, Mac and Windows)
If your files live in Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox instead, a connector lets Claude reach them from anywhere, including the web and your phone. Our guide to where Cowork runs has the full platform-by-platform breakdown.
System requirements at a glance
- Mac: macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later, one download for Apple Silicon and Intel.
- Windows: Windows 10 or later, on x64 or ARM64. Also available from the Microsoft Store.
- Linux: beta, Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+. Longer tasks need hardware virtualization turned on. Other distributions can use the web, or Claude Code from the terminal.
- Chromebook: use the web version in Chrome.
- Phone: the Claude app for iPhone and Android.
Always download Claude from Anthropic’s official page at claude.com/download or your device’s app store. Ignore “Claude installer” files from other websites. Our Claude download guide covers each option.
If you work across several devices
Most people end up using more than one version, and that’s how it’s designed to work. A common setup for a business owner is the desktop app on the computer that holds their files, the mobile app for quick questions and checking on tasks, and the web version on any other computer. Your conversations, Projects, connectors, and skills follow your account, so you can start something on your phone and finish it at your desk.
The one thing that doesn’t travel is access to local files. If you want Claude to work with files on two different computers, install the desktop app on both. If your files already live in a cloud service, connect that service instead and every device can reach them.
Common mix-ups
- “I need to download Cowork.” There’s no separate Cowork download. It’s part of the Claude desktop app, and on Pro and Max it’s now simply part of Claude.
- “Claude Console is an app.” The Anthropic Console is a website for developers to manage API keys and billing. Most people never need it.
- “The free plan can do everything.” Free covers chat, web search, and file creation. Longer tasks on your files and Claude Code need a paid plan.
- “The web version can see my computer’s files.” Only the desktop app can reach files on your computer. The web and mobile apps can reach files in connected services like Google Drive.
Do you actually need Claude Code?
Probably not, unless you write software. Claude Code is built for reading and changing codebases, running commands, and managing projects in a code repository. If you’re a business owner who wants help with documents, spreadsheets, research, and email, the regular Claude desktop app does all of that with no terminal involved.
If you do write code, you have three ways in: the terminal, which is fastest for people who already work there; the desktop app, which runs the same agent in a window with visual diffs; and claude.ai/code in the browser, which needs no installation. All of them need a paid plan or an Anthropic Console account. If an install or sign-in error stops you, our Claude Code error lookup explains what it means and links to Anthropic’s official fix.
Which plan goes with which version
The web, desktop, and mobile apps all work on the free plan for everyday chat, web search, and file creation. Longer tasks on your files, scheduled tasks, and Claude Code need Pro ($20 a month) or above. Our Claude pricing guide has a plan recommender, and the Is Claude worth it? calculator compares the time it could save you with the cost. Once you’re set up, the free Claude Cowork course teaches the workflows that make it worth paying for.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to download Claude?
No. Claude works in any web browser at claude.ai with nothing to install. The desktop app is worth installing if you want Claude to work with files on your computer, use a keyboard shortcut to open it, or run longer tasks that touch your local folders.
What’s the difference between Claude, Claude Cowork, and Claude Code?
Claude is the assistant itself. Cowork was the name for Claude doing longer, multi-step tasks on your files and apps; since September 2026 it’s part of regular Claude on Pro and Max. Claude Code is a separate tool for writing software, used from a terminal, a code editor, the desktop app, or the web.
Is there a Claude app for Chromebook?
There’s no dedicated Chromebook app, but Claude works fully in the Chrome browser at claude.ai. Longer tasks run in the cloud, and you can connect Google Drive so Claude can work with your files.
Can I use Claude on my phone?
Yes. The Claude apps for iPhone and Android include chat, and on paid plans you can start and check on longer tasks from your phone. Anything that needs files on your computer still needs the desktop app open on that computer.
Do I need a paid plan?
Not for everyday questions and writing: the free plan includes chat, web search, and file creation. Longer Cowork-style tasks, scheduled tasks, and Claude Code need Pro or above. You can try Pro free for a week with a guest pass.