Skip to content
effecthub

Claude vs Vellum

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Claude starts at $17, Vellum at $30. Both have a free tier. Both ship a public API.

ClaudeAssistant focused on long documents and code workVellumPersonal AI assistant with persistent memory that acts across email, calendar, files and chat apps

Side by side

FactClaudeVellum
CategoryGeneral-purpose AI ChatbotsPersonal AI Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$17 month$30 month
Public APIYesYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, APIWeb, macOS, iOS, Slack App
CompanyAnthropic—
Launched2023—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Claude

The one to pick if your work is long documents or code; for casual chat the free tier is fine and the paid seat mostly buys headroom rather than new abilities.

Pros

  • Long-context handling is the reason most people switch to it
  • Same models reachable from chat, desktop app and API
  • Free tier is a usable product rather than a token trial
  • Annual billing brings the Pro seat down to $17/mo

Cons

  • Pro usage limits bite during sustained coding work
  • The step above Pro is $100/mo Max, a five-fold jump
  • No image generation, unlike most rivals at the same price
  • claude.ai blocks automated access, so scripted use has to go via the API

Vellum

An ambitious personal agent that pairs deep memory with real tool access, and the MIT-licensed runtime is a rare escape hatch in this category. The company is visibly mid-pivot - its docs subdomain still describes the earlier enterprise LLM platform - so expect product churn and check that plan credits cover your actual usage.

Pros

  • Persistent memory plus real actions, not just chat
  • Open-source MIT runtime allows self-hosting without platform fees
  • Wide surface: web, macOS, iOS, CLI, Slack, Telegram
  • Transparent hosted pricing with defined compute and credit bundles

Cons

  • Brand confusion: documentation and older coverage describe a different enterprise product
  • Usage credits on top of the subscription make heavy use costlier than the sticker price
  • Company details for the current product are thin on the site

Which one fits

Choose Claude if you need

  • Developers working through large codebases or using Claude Code
  • Anyone reading and reasoning over long documents, contracts or papers
  • Users who want a desktop app that reaches local data through MCP

Choose Vellum if you need

  • Individuals who want one assistant with memory across email, calendar and chat
  • Tinkerers willing to self-host an open-source assistant runtime
  • Mac-centric users who want a native app plus mobile and Slack access

More comparisons

All Claude alternatives →All Vellum alternatives →Browse all General-purpose AI Chatbots →