Claude Duet vs Cowork (and Claude Code): What's the Difference?

Anthropic now has several ways to put Claude to work. Claude Duet is the newest, and it’s a proactive AI agent: it reaches out before you ask. Cowork and Claude Code wait for you to give them a job. Here’s how they compare.

Claude Duet, Cowork, Claude Code and Claude Tag compared

Feature	Claude DuetAnthropic	Claude CoworkAnthropic	Claude CodeAnthropic	Claude TagAnthropic
Made by	Anthropic	Anthropic	Anthropic	Anthropic
What it is	Proactive agent that brings you what needs attention and does work tasks	Agent you hand multi-step work to, inside the files and tools you choose	Coding agent for software engineering	Claude as a teammate in Slack; tag @Claude in a thread
Where it runs	iPhone, Android and the web at claude.ai	Web, desktop and mobile (desktop app for local files)	Your terminal and code editor	Slack (Microsoft Teams announced as coming soon)
Who can get it	US only, Pro or Max plan, by waitlist	Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise (rolling out)	Included with Pro and Max	Team and Enterprise plans, in beta
Cost	No extra cost during the preview; uses your plan limits	Included in those plans; uses limits faster than chat	Included in the plan; uses plan limits	Billed by usage to your organization
Works in the background	Yes, on its own cloud computer; checks your apps every few hours	Yes, scheduled tasks that keep going after you close your laptop	Works through coding tasks while you review	Keeps channel context for days; can chime in proactively
Approvals	Asks before sending, paying, signing or deleting	Asks before significant actions and before deleting	Permission settings, including an auto mode classifier	Admins choose who can use it
Connects to	6,000+ connectors and plugins	Your chosen folders, apps and a built-in browser	Your code, dev tools and MCP servers	Your Slack channels
AI model	Claude Opus 5.5 (you can’t pick)	Not stated on the product page	Claude models (you can choose)	Not stated

Claude Duet vs Claude Cowork: the difference

The big difference is who starts the work.

• Claude Duet starts it. It checks your connected apps every few hours, sends you a morning brief and flags what needs you. Then it offers to handle it. You can also hand it tasks, by text or voice.
• With Cowork, you start it. You give Claude a goal, and it works through the files and tools you choose. It shows each step, and you can redirect or stop it.

Both can work while you’re away. Cowork runs scheduled tasks after you close your laptop. Duet runs on its own cloud computer, so your devices can be off.

They also live in different places. Duet is a phone-first app (plus the web at claude.ai). Cowork works on the web, desktop and mobile, and you need the desktop app for files on your own computer.

Is Claude Duet part of the Claude app?

No, not right now. Claude Duet is a separate app. But it runs on your Claude account, so your memory, skills and connected apps carry over. Anthropic says what it learns from Duet will shape how Duet and the Claude app work together in the future.

Cowork is different. Anthropic says Cowork is “now part of Claude”: when a chat needs to work with your files, Claude brings in Cowork’s abilities.

Claude Duet vs Claude Code

Claude Code is for building software. It’s a coding agent that works in your terminal and code editor. Claude Duet is for running your day: messages, calendar, invoices, payroll and documents.

They are linked behind the scenes. Duet’s approval system uses the same auto mode classifier as Claude Code. That’s a safety check that decides which actions need your OK. If you write code for a living, you may use both.

Which Claude app should I use?

Pick by the kind of help you want:

• “Tell me what needs me and handle it.” Use Claude Duet. See what Claude Duet can do.
• “Here’s a job, do it in my files.” Use Cowork.
• “Help me write and fix code.” Use Claude Code.
• “Help our team inside Slack.” Use Claude Tag (Team and Enterprise).
• “I have a quick question.” Just chat in the Claude app.

Cost matters too. Duet uses your plan’s limits, and its background work counts. Our Claude Duet pricing guide explains how. New to Duet? Start with what is Claude Duet.