Short answer
As of October 2026, ChatGPT Work, Gemini Spark and Claude Cowork are three agents from OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, each bundled into an existing subscription. ChatGPT Work is task-based and widely available, Spark runs 24/7 in Google's cloud for US Pro and Ultra users, and Cowork excels at spreadsheets and decks. None has a confirmed phone line.
Three agents, three different centers of gravity
These tools get lumped together because all three act on your behalf instead of only answering questions. Underneath, each grew out of a different product. ChatGPT Work came out of ChatGPT and Codex, Gemini Spark out of Google's Workspace apps, and Claude Cowork out of Claude Code.
That origin shows in the daily experience, so the table below is a better starting point than the brand names.
Side-by-side, as of October 2026
| ChatGPT Work | Gemini Spark | Claude Cowork | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | OpenAI | Anthropic | |
| Launch | July 2026 | Announced May 19, 2026; US beta from late May | Research preview January 2026; cloud sessions and web/mobile around July 2026 |
| Style | Task-based, with Scheduled Tasks | 24/7 personal agent in Google's cloud | Multi-step tasks; cloud and scheduled tasks keep running when you close the laptop |
| Price | Reported on every ChatGPT plan, usage-metered | Included with Google AI Pro ($19.99/month in the US) and Ultra | Included in paid Claude plans: Pro $20/month, Max from $100/month |
| Home turf | Documents, slides, reports, web apps; plugins for Slack, Teams, Drive, SharePoint, CRMs | Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Drive; some apps via MCP | Excel with working formulas, PowerPoint, formatted documents; connectors and a browser |
| Regions | No region limits published in the sources we checked | Excludes the EEA, UK, Switzerland and Nigeria (reported) | Desktop on macOS and Windows; web and mobile on paid plans |
| Phone calls | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
ChatGPT Work: the broadest rollout
ChatGPT Work is built for long, multi-step jobs across connected apps and files, with Computer Use in the desktop app and Sites in public beta. The Next Web reports it is available on every plan, including Free, so trying it costs little. Enterprise and Edu admins get controls over access, connected tools, browser use, sensitive actions and spend limits, plus a Compliance API.
It is not described as always on in the background. If you want an agent that keeps working toward goals between conversations, OpenAI points to Dots instead, covered in Dots vs ChatGPT Work.
Gemini Spark: the one that never sleeps
Spark runs on Google's cloud, so it keeps working when your laptop is closed or phone is locked. It uses Gemini 3.5, works across Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar and Drive (integrations are opt-in), can use sub-agents and act on triggers such as a flight delay, and asks before spending money or sending email. Reportedly each user gets a dedicated Gmail address so you can CC it like a colleague.
The tradeoffs are geographic and commercial. It is excluded in the EEA, UK, Switzerland and Nigeria, per Android Authority, and team features for Workspace are not confirmed. Google has not published a Spark-specific training policy.
Claude Cowork: the spreadsheet and deck specialist
Cowork brings Claude Code's abilities to non-coding work. It plans multi-step tasks, uses sub-agents, and produces Excel files with working formulas, PowerPoint decks and formatted documents. Anthropic's pricing lists no separate fee. Agent tasks use more of your plan allowance than chat does, and local file or browser work needs the desktop app open.
Team and Enterprise get admin controls, and model training is none by default on those plans, while Free, Pro and Max are opt-out. Sessions cannot be shared between users, though artifacts can. A fuller verdict for owners is in Is Claude Cowork good for small business?
Who should pick which
- Pick ChatGPT Work if you already use ChatGPT, want the lowest-friction trial, or need slides and web apps produced from your files.
- Pick Gemini Spark if your company lives in Google Workspace, you are in the US, and you want something working overnight.
- Pick Claude Cowork if spreadsheet models and polished decks are the work, or if your team standardizes on Claude.
All three are general-purpose agents you configure yourself, bundled into a personal or team subscription.
The gap none of the three fills
Notice the last row of the table. Phone answering is not a confirmed feature of any of them, and channels like WhatsApp or iMessage are not listed for Work or Cowork. Oraculo is built for that gap: a managed AI employee that answers and places calls on your business line and takes instructions over WhatsApp, iMessage, Slack, Telegram, email or its app.
Pricing is hourly, with Starter at $12/hour (6-hour weekly minimum, about $312/month) and Business at $8/hour (43-hour weekly minimum, about $1,500/month), plus a $499 setup where an engineer connects your tools. See Oraculo vs ChatGPT Work or book a 20-minute demo.
Key takeaway
Choose by the stack you already live in: Google for Spark, Claude for deck and spreadsheet work, ChatGPT for the widest trial. If you need calls and chat channels handled for you, that is a managed-employee job.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for a small business, ChatGPT Work, Gemini Spark or Claude Cowork?
It depends on your stack. Google Workspace shops lean to Spark, spreadsheet and deck work leans to Cowork, and ChatGPT Work is the easiest to try. None of the three is confirmed to answer a business phone line.
Are these three agents free?
Not exactly. ChatGPT Work is reported on every plan including Free, usage-metered. Spark is included with Google AI Pro ($19.99/month in the US) and Ultra, not Free. Cowork is included in paid Claude plans and not on Free.
Can any of them text me over WhatsApp or iMessage?
Not as confirmed features. Spark's texting was announced as coming at I/O, with current status unconfirmed, and Cowork's help page lists no chat-app channels. Check each vendor before relying on a messaging channel.
Which one runs in the background all day?
Gemini Spark is described as 24/7 in Google's cloud. Claude Cowork's cloud and scheduled tasks keep running when your laptop is closed. ChatGPT Work is task-based with Scheduled Tasks, while OpenAI's Dots are its always-on option.
Is Oraculo a replacement for these tools?
It is a different kind of product: a managed AI employee with a phone line and chat channels, set up with an engineer. Many owners may still use ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude personally for documents and research.