Claude · Coding
Claude for coding
llmwise has 6 of Anthropic's Claude models, from Claude Haiku 5.5 (up to 60 messages a day on Pro) to Claude Fable 5.1 (up to 31 messages a month). We ran the same coding prompts on every one and published every reply: which Claude model to use, from the results, what each costs per message, and how to get more out of it.
Based on 30 of our test runs on , through OpenRouter with the app's own prompt and settings. Updated .
Short answer
In our test runs on October 7, 2026, 5 models passed 5 of 5 coding prompts, so these prompts don't pick one for hard problems. For value, Claude Sonnet 5.5 (5 of 5), 125 a month on Pro; for everyday coding, Claude Haiku 5.5 (5 of 5), from the daily count.
Our picks for coding
Hard problems
Shared by 5 models
5 models passed 5 of 5, both hard ones: Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5 and 2 more. These prompts don't tell them apart, so they share the pick.
Best value
Passed 5 of 5 coding prompts, with 125 a month on Pro.
Everyday
Passed 5 of 5 coding prompts; an everyday model, so its messages come from the daily count (60 a day on Pro), not the monthly allowance.
These picks aren't our opinion: they're what the results below give, by these rules, among the Claude models in llmwise. They change when the results do.
- Hard problems: the model that passed the most prompts and, of those, the most hard ones. Models level on both share the pick: the prompts don't tell them apart, so we don't break the tie by price or by name.
- Best value: among the models that draw on the monthly allowance, the one with the most messages on Pro that passed no more than one prompt fewer than the top model. Ties go to the one that passed more, then to the lower cost per reply.
- Everyday: among the cheapest models on the page (the everyday models, which come from the daily count, when the page has any), the one that passed the most. Ties go to the one that passed more of the hard prompts, then to the lower cost per reply.
Our coding test runs, model by model
How each model did on our 5 coding prompts, what each reply counted as on Pro, and what it cost to run.
| Model | Passed | Hard ones | Messages used on Pro | Cost per reply | Time per reply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1Anthropic | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 1 each, of 31 a month on Pro | $0.0425 | 9.1 s |
| Claude Opus 5.5Anthropic | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 1 each, of 62 a month on Pro | $0.0171 | 8.3 s |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5Anthropic | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 1 each, of 125 a month on Pro | $0.0063 | 3.0 s |
| Claude Sonnet 5Anthropic | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 1 each, of 125 a month on Pro | $0.0102 | 8.0 s |
| Claude Haiku 4.5Anthropic | 3 of 5 | 0 of 2 | 1 each, of 250 a month on Pro | $0.0027 | 3.4 s |
| Claude Haiku 5.5Anthropic | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 1 each, of 60 a day on Pro | $0.0005 | 4.0 s |
One prompt, side by side
Each model's reply to “Evaluate an arithmetic expression, no eval”, as it came, with whether it passed and what it cost.
The prompt: Evaluate an arithmetic expression, no eval (hard)
Write a JavaScript function evaluate(expression) that computes an arithmetic expression given as a string and returns the number. It supports numbers like 3, 0.5 and 12.25; the operators + - * / and ^ (power); parentheses; unary minus; and spaces anywhere. - ^ binds tighter than unary minus and is right-associative, so -2^2 is -4 and 2^3^2 is 512. A unary minus may follow ^, as in 2^-1, which is 0.5. - * and / bind tighter than + and -. Otherwise operators of the same level go left to right, so 8/4/2 is 1. - Throw an Error for input that isn't a valid expression, such as "2 +", "(1" or "1 2". Don't use eval, Function or any library. Reply with the whole function in one ```javascript code block: plain JavaScript for Node.js 22, no imports, no TypeScript.
Claude Fable 5.1
Passed: All 15 tests passed.
```javascript function evaluate(expression) { if (typeof expression !== "string") throw new Error("Expression must be a string"); // ---- Tokenizer ---- const tokens = []; let i = 0; while (i < expression.length) { const ch = expression[i]; if (ch === " " || ch === "\t" || ch === "\n" || ch === "\r") { i++; continue; } if (ch >= "0" && ch <= "9") { let start = i; while (i < expression.length && expression[i] >= "0" && expression[i] <= "9") i++; if (expression[i] === ".") { i++; if (!(expression[i] >= "0" && expression[i] <= "9")) { throw new Error(`Invalid number at position ${start}`); } while (i < expression.length && expression[i] >= "0" && expression[i] <= "9") i++; } tokens.push({ type: "num", value: parseFloat(expression.slice(start, i)), pos: start }); continue; } if ("+-*/^()".includes(ch)) { tokens.push({ type: ch, pos: i }); i++; continue; } throw new Error(`Unexpected character '${ch}' at position ${i}`); } tokens.push({ type: "end", pos: expression.length }); // ---- Parser ---- let p = 0; const peek = () => tokens[p]; const next = () => tokens[p++]; const fail = (tok) => new Error( tok.type === "end" ? "Unexpected end of expression" : `Unexpected token '${tok.type === "num" ? tok.value : tok.type}' at position ${tok.pos}` ); // expr := term (('+'|'-') term)* function parseExpr() { let value = parseTerm(); while (peek().type === "+" || peek().type === "-") { const op = next().type; const rhs = parseTerm(); value = op === "+" ? value + rhs : value - rhs; } return value; } // term := unary (('*'|'/') unary)* function parseTerm() { let value = parseUnary(); while (peek().type === "*" || peek().type === "/") { const op = next().type; const rhs = parseUnary(); value = op === "*" ? value * rhs : value / rhs; } return value; } // unary := '-' unary | power function parseUnary() { if (peek().type === "-") { next(); return -parseUnary(); } return parsePower(); } // power := atom ('^' unary)? (right-associative; exponent may carry unary minus) function parsePower() { const base = parseAtom(); if (peek().type === "^") { next(); const exponent = parseUnary(); return Math.pow(base, exponent); } return base; } // atom := number | '(' expr ')' function parseAtom() { const tok = next(); if (tok.type === "num") return tok.value; if (tok.type === "(") { const value = parseExpr(); const close = next(); if (close.type !== ")") throw fail(close); return value; } throw fail(tok); } const result = parseExpr(); if (peek().type !== "end") throw fail(peek()); return result; } ```762 tokens in, 1,561 out (387 of them reasoning) · 15.7 s · $0.0874 · 1 message on Pro · answered by anthropic/claude-fable-5.1 via Anthropic ·
Claude Sonnet 5.5
Passed: All 15 tests passed.
```javascript function evaluate(expression) { if (typeof expression !== 'string') throw new Error('Expression must be a string'); const s = expression; let pos = 0; function skip() { while (pos < s.length && /\s/.test(s[pos])) pos++; } function peek() { skip(); return pos < s.length ? s[pos] : null; } // expr := term (('+'|'-') term)* function parseExpr() { let left = parseTerm(); for (;;) { const c = peek(); if (c === '+') { pos++; left = left + parseTerm(); } else if (c === '-') { pos++; left = left - parseTerm(); } else return left; } } // term := unary (('*'|'/') unary)* function parseTerm() { let left = parseUnary(); for (;;) { const c = peek(); if (c === '*') { pos++; left = left * parseUnary(); } else if (c === '/') { pos++; left = left / parseUnary(); } else return left; } } // unary := '-' unary | power (also allow unary plus? not required -> no) function parseUnary() { if (peek() === '-') { pos++; return -parseUnary(); } return parsePower(); } // power := primary ('^' unary)? right-assoc; exponent may have unary minus function parsePower() { const base = parsePrimary(); if (peek() === '^') { pos++; const exp = parseUnary(); return Math.pow(base, exp); } return base; } function parsePrimary() { const c = peek(); if (c === null) throw new Error('Unexpected end of expression'); if (c === '(') { pos++; const v = parseExpr(); if (peek() !== ')') throw new Error('Missing closing parenthesis'); pos++; return v; } const m = /^(\d+(\.\d+)?|\.\d+)/.exec(s.slice(pos)); if (m) { pos += m[0].length; return parseFloat(m[0]); } throw new Error('Unexpected character: ' + c); } const result = parseExpr(); if (peek() !== null) throw new Error('Unexpected token: ' + s[pos]); return result; } ```764 tokens in, 827 out · 4.8 s · $0.0102 · 1 message on Pro · answered by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5 via Anthropic ·
Claude Haiku 5.5
Passed: All 15 tests passed.
```javascript function evaluate(expression) { const s = String(expression); const tokens = []; let i = 0; while (i < s.length) { const c = s[i]; if (c === ' ' || c === '\t' || c === '\n' || c === '\r') { i++; continue; } if ((c >= '0' && c <= '9') || c === '.') { let j = i; while (j < s.length && ((s[j] >= '0' && s[j] <= '9') || s[j] === '.')) j++; const text = s.slice(i, j); if (!/^(\d+\.?\d*|\.\d+)$/.test(text)) throw new Error(`Invalid number "${text}"`); tokens.push({ type: 'num', value: Number(text) }); i = j; continue; } if ('+-*/^()'.includes(c)) { tokens.push({ type: c }); i++; continue; } throw new Error(`Unexpected character "${c}"`); } let pos = 0; const peek = () => tokens[pos] ? tokens[pos].type : null; const next = () => tokens[pos++]; // expr := term (('+'|'-') term)* function parseExpr() { let value = parseTerm(); while (peek() === '+' || peek() === '-') { const op = next().type; const rhs = parseTerm(); value = op === '+' ? value + rhs : value - rhs; } return value; } // term := unary (('*'|'/') unary)* function parseTerm() { let value = parseUnary(); while (peek() === '*' || peek() === '/') { const op = next().type; const rhs = parseUnary(); value = op === '*' ? value * rhs : value / rhs; } return value; } // unary := '-' unary | power function parseUnary() { if (peek() === '-') { next(); return -parseUnary(); } return parsePower(); } // power := primary ('^' unary)? (right-associative; exponent may be signed) function parsePower() { const base = parsePrimary(); if (peek() === '^') { next(); const exp = parseUnary(); return Math.pow(base, exp); } return base; } // primary := number | '(' expr ')' function parsePrimary() { const t = tokens[pos]; if (!t) throw new Error('Unexpected end of expression'); if (t.type === 'num') { pos++; return t.value; } if (t.type === '(') { pos++; const value = parseExpr(); if (peek() !== ')') throw new Error('Expected ")"'); pos++; return value; } throw new Error(`Unexpected token "${t.type}"`); } if (tokens.length === 0) throw new Error('Empty expression'); const result = parseExpr(); if (pos !== tokens.length) throw new Error(`Unexpected token "${tokens[pos].type}"`); return result; } ```763 tokens in, 1,074 out · 3.9 s · $0.0006 · 1 message on Pro · answered by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via Anthropic ·
The coding prompts, and how they're scored
Tests. Automatic. The function runs against the prompt's tests in a separate Node.js process with a time limit and no file, network or child-process access; it passes when every test passes.
Each prompt was sent the way llmwise sends a message in a side-by-side comparison, which offers no tools: the app's own system prompt, the model's own settings, and Pro's reply size limit (8,000 tokens). Read all five coding prompts and how every reply was scored.
Prompts like these to try yourself
Claude in llmwise
| Model | On Pro | On Free | Context window | Images | PDFs | Reasoning | API price per 1M, in / out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1Anthropic | 31/mo on Pro | No | 1M tokens | Yes | Whole file | Yes | $10.00 / $50.00 |
| Claude Opus 5.5Anthropic | 62/mo on Pro | 1 message | 1M tokens | Yes | Whole file | Yes | $4.00 / $20.00 |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5Anthropic | 125/mo on Pro | Yes | 1M tokens | Yes | Whole file | Yes | $2.00 / $10.00 |
| Claude Sonnet 5Anthropic | 125/mo on Pro | Yes | 1M tokens | Yes | Whole file | Yes | $2.00 / $10.00 |
| Claude Haiku 4.5Anthropic | 250/mo on Pro | Yes | 200K tokens | Yes | Whole file | No | $1.00 / $5.00 |
| Claude Haiku 5.5Anthropic | 60/day on Pro | Yes | 1M tokens | Yes | Whole file | Yes | $0.10 / $0.50 |
Every limit is published. Paid plans also have a monthly fair-use limit on AI cost: Pro $7.50, Max $20, Ultra $42, Studio $85. Using every message on your plan at typical sizes stays under it; very large messages and heavy research use it faster. Every limit, explained.
Claude Haiku 4.5 doesn't reason before answering in llmwise.
What matters for coding
Room for your code
The more of your code a model can take in at once, the fewer details it has to guess. Context windows are listed below.
Reasoning on hard problems
Models that reason before answering tend to do better on problems with several moving parts, like a bug that crosses files.
Running the code
Code that has been run beats code that looks right. A model that can run and test its own code catches its own mistakes.
Cost per try
Coding means many small tries. A cheap model for quick questions and a stronger one for the hard ones keeps the cost down.
Claude for coding in llmwise
Code opens as a document
Ask for a script or a component and it opens beside the chat as a code document that keeps every version, so you can step back to an earlier one.
Run code (paid plans)
On a paid plan the model can run Python or Node.js in an isolated sandbox once you approve it, read the output and fix what failed. A run counts as 1 Claude Haiku 4.5 message and stops after 60 seconds.
HTML apps run in the chat
Ask for a calculator, a small tool or a page and it runs live as an HTML app in the side panel.
Switch models mid-chat
Start on a cheaper model; if the answer isn't good enough, switch models in the same chat. The next model sees the whole conversation, so you don't paste anything twice.
In llmwise, a message to Claude goes to its maker, Anthropic, or through OpenRouter when llmwise can't reach the maker directly. See the Privacy Policy.
Tips
Paste the exact error and the code that produced it, not just a description.
Say which language, version and libraries you use.
For a big change, ask for a plan first, then one step at a time.
Pick the Coder persona for code-first answers that explain their trade-offs.
If a model gets stuck, switch to another in the same chat: it sees the code so far.
Questions
Is Claude good for coding?
In our test runs on October 7, 2026, Claude Fable 5.1 passed 5 of 5, Claude Opus 5.5 passed 5 of 5, Claude Sonnet 5.5 passed 5 of 5, Claude Sonnet 5 passed 5 of 5, Claude Haiku 4.5 passed 3 of 5, Claude Haiku 5.5 passed 5 of 5 of our coding prompts, against a best result of 5 of 5 among all 19 models. Every reply is published on this page and the methods page, so you can judge them yourself.
Which Claude model should I use for coding?
Start with Claude Haiku 5.5 for quick syntax questions, regexes, small scripts and boilerplate, and move up to Claude Fable 5.1 for large refactors, subtle bugs and design questions where a wrong answer costs you hours.
Can I use Claude for coding for free?
Yes: Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Haiku 4.5, and Claude Haiku 5.5 are on the Free plan (a one-time trial of 5 messages, one of them can be on Claude Opus 5.5). Claude Fable 5.1 needs a paid plan.
Can llmwise run the code it writes?
On a paid plan, yes. The model writes Python or Node.js, you approve the run, and it executes in an isolated sandbox with no internet access except package registries, stopping after 60 seconds. It reads the output and can fix what failed. Each run counts as 1 Claude Haiku 4.5 message.
Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grok, Kimi, GLM, and Mistral, in one chat.
See what a message costs before you send it. Free is 5 messages to try; sign in with an email link, no password or card.