One of the best models for coding and complex instruction-following, but its premium pricing demands premium use cases.
93
Coding
85
Writing
88
Research
10
Images
28
Value
87
Long Context
Use this when
Complex coding tasks, multi-step reasoning, and long-document analysis where GPT-4o-class quality is needed without paying for the absolute top tier.
Skip this if
You're processing high-volume, cost-sensitive workloads or need image generation — cheaper alternatives like GPT-4o Mini or Claude 3 Haiku deliver far better economics.
Pricing
$6.00/1M in
$30.00/1M out
→0%since Aug 2026
Context
200k tokens
Speed
Balanced
Pricing at $6 input / $30 output per million tokens is significantly higher than GPT-4o ($2.50/$10). Best accessed via Anthropic API or Amazon Bedrock. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (October 2024 version) supersedes the June 2024 release with improved performance.
Exceptional instruction-following and task fidelity — one of the best in class for following nuanced, multi-part prompts
Strong software engineering performance, including agentic coding workflows and debugging complex codebases
200K context window handles long codebases, legal documents, or research corpora in a single pass
Reliable and safe output with Anthropic's constitutional AI alignment, reducing hallucinations on factual tasks
Weaknesses
At $6/$30 per million tokens, it's expensive compared to GPT-4o Mini or Gemini 1.5 Flash for high-volume use cases
No native image generation capability — multimodal support is input-only (vision)
Can be overly cautious on borderline creative or sensitive requests compared to GPT-4o
Real-world use cases
What people actually use Claude 3.5 Sonnet for.
Refactoring a 10,000-line legacy Python codebase with detailed explanations of each change
Summarizing and cross-referencing a 150-page legal contract against regulatory requirements
Drafting and iterating on a technical specification document with precise, structured output
How Claude 3.5 Sonnet compares
The nearest models people weigh against it, and what actually separates them.
vs Claude Fable 5 — Against Claude Fable 5 (Anthropic), Claude 3.5 Sonnet runs about 40% cheaper per token, gives up 5x on context and answers faster. Take Claude 3.5 Sonnet unless you specifically need what Claude Fable 5 does better.
vs Claude Fable 5.1 — Against Claude Fable 5.1 (Anthropic), Claude 3.5 Sonnet runs about 40% cheaper per token, gives up 5x on context and answers faster. Take Claude 3.5 Sonnet unless you specifically need what Claude Fable 5.1 does better.
vs Claude Opus 4 — Against Claude Opus 4 (Anthropic), Claude 3.5 Sonnet runs about 60% cheaper per token and answers faster. Take Claude 3.5 Sonnet unless you specifically need what Claude Opus 4 does better.
Price History
Claude 3.5 Sonnet pricing over time
→0% since Aug 4
90 data points · tracked daily since Aug 4, 2026
Ready to try it?
Start using Claude 3.5 Sonnet
Complex coding tasks, multi-step reasoning, and long-document analysis where GPT-4o-class quality is needed without paying for the absolute top tier.. Start free — no card required.
Recommendations are made independently based on real-world use and public benchmarks. See our disclosures for details.
Compare alternatives
Similar models worth checking before you commit.
AnthropicPremium
Claude Fable 5
Anthropic's June 9, 2026 Mythos-class flagship. At launch it was the most capable coding model anyone could use — 80.3% SWE-Bench Pro, an 11-point jump over Opus 4.8 — and it has since been overtaken by Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Opus 5.5. 1M context, 128K output, native parallel subagents.
Verdict
Superseded by Fable 5.1 — still 80.3% SWE-Bench Pro, but 5.1 is better and cheaper to run.
Quality score
97%
Pricing
$10.00/1M in
$50.00/1M out
Speed
Deliberate
2/5 speed
Context
1M tokens
Launched June 9, 2026 as the public, Mythos-class release. Available on the Claude API, Microsoft Foundry, and Google Vertex AI. Free for all users until June 22, 2026. Same underlying model as Claude Mythos 5, with safeguards that block specific high-risk cyber responses.
Coding leaderSWE-Bench Pro #1Mythos-classParallel subagentsAgenticLong contextPremiumNew
Best for
The hardest coding tasks, autonomous multi-step agents, and frontier-grade reasoning
Anthropic's September 1, 2026 frontier release for coding, agents, and scientific work. On SWE-bench Pro the cheaper Claude Opus 5.5 now scores higher (89.9% vs 81.2% in Anthropic's table). Base pricing is unchanged at $10/$50, but cache reads dropped 75% to $0.25/1M — roughly 25% cheaper on typical workloads and up to 45% cheaper on agentic ones. 1M context, 128K output, adaptive thinking always on.
Verdict
Anthropic's highest-ceiling model — strongest on open-ended research; Opus 5.5 now leads coding.
Quality score
98%
Pricing
$10.00/1M in
$50.00/1M out
Speed
Deliberate
2/5 speed
Context
1M tokens
Released September 1, 2026 alongside Claude Mythos 5.1, the first update to the Mythos-class line since Fable 5 on June 9. API ID claude-fable-5-1; generally available on the Claude API, Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Foundry. Published launch numbers (Fable 5.1 / Fable 5 / Opus 5 / GPT-5.6 Sol): Terminal-Bench-Science 0.1 52.6 / 24.7 / 29.0 / 22.4; Terminal-Bench 4.0 55.8 / 42.0 / 52.3 / 37.3; CursorBench 3.2.0 73.4 / 70.5 / 70.0 / 67.2; AutomationBench 31.4 / 17.1 / 26.9 / 19.6; OSWorld 2.0 strict 41.7 / 36.1 / 39.6; Humanity's Last Exam (no tools) 60.9 / 57.8 / 56.6; GDPval-AA v2 1853 / 1723 / 1824 / 1711. GDPval-AA v2 is rescaled from the v1 numbers quoted on the Fable 5 page and is not directly comparable to them.
Claude Opus 4 is Anthropic's most capable flagship model, designed for complex reasoning, nuanced writing, and sophisticated multi-step tasks. It sits at the top of the Claude 4 family, prioritizing depth and quality over speed.
Verdict
Anthropic's best model for when quality matters more than speed or cost.
Quality score
84%
Pricing
$15.00/1M in
$75.00/1M out
Speed
Deliberate
2/5 speed
Context
200k tokens
At $15 input / $75 output per 1M tokens, Opus 4 is one of the most expensive models available. Anthropic recommends using Claude Sonnet 4 for most production use cases and reserving Opus 4 for tasks explicitly requiring maximum capability.
FlagshipPremiumReasoningLong ContextAgentic
Best for
Demanding professional tasks requiring deep reasoning, nuanced judgment, and high-quality long-form output.
Pricing moves, ranking shifts, and capability updates.
New ModelMar 27, 2026
Anthropic: Claude 3.5 Sonnet — added to UseRightAI
Anthropic: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic) is now indexed. One of the best models for coding and complex instruction-following, but its premium pricing demands premium use cases.
Claude 3.5 Sonnet costs $6 per million input tokens and $30 per million output tokens on the API. A month of 10M input and 2M output tokens runs about $120.00 at list price, before any batch or caching discounts.
What is Claude 3.5 Sonnet best for?
Claude 3.5 Sonnet is best for complex coding tasks, multi-step reasoning, and long-document analysis where gpt-4o-class quality is needed without paying for the absolute top tier.. It is a strong fit when that workflow matters more than the tradeoffs around premium pricing and balanced speed.
When should I avoid Claude 3.5 Sonnet?
You're processing high-volume, cost-sensitive workloads or need image generation — cheaper alternatives like GPT-4o Mini or Claude 3 Haiku deliver far better economics.
What is a cheaper alternative to Claude 3.5 Sonnet?
Claude Sonnet 5.5 (Anthropic) at $2.00/1M/1M input against Claude 3.5 Sonnet's $6.00/1M/1M — roughly 67% less per token all in. Near-Opus 5.5 quality on scoped work at half the price. Compare it first if Claude 3.5 Sonnet's pricing is the thing stopping you.
What is a faster alternative to Claude 3.5 Sonnet?
Claude Fable 5 — deliberate against Claude 3.5 Sonnet's balanced, with 1M tokens of context. Worth the swap when response time is what your users notice rather than the last few points of reasoning depth.
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