Anthropic now offers two tools that can BOTH control a web browser AND access your local files. But they work very differently.

Here’s the simplest way to think about it:

Cowork is the easy option. It lives right inside the Claude desktop app — no setup, no installation, just start chatting and it gets to work.

Claude Code is the power option. You install it locally, run it from your terminal, and configure it yourself. (There’s now a web version too, but the local version is where the real power is.)

Anthropic seems to have created Cowork largely because Claude Code’s setup can be intimidating for non-developers. But there are still real tradeoffs to consider…

Where Cowork wins

Cowork is inherently simpler to use, as well as safer. It runs in a “virtual machine” that is isolated and protected from the wider Internet, whereas Claude Code is more open to potential leaks and attacks.

If you’re in doubt about either ease of use or security, start with Cowork. You can always advance from there to Code later on.

Where Claude Code pulls ahead

Claude Code has its own advantages:
  • Token efficiency — Cowork burns through your quota faster because of all the hidden work happening behind the scenes (screenshots, image processing, etc.)
  • Real-time control — Code shows you every step the model is taking, so you can stop and redirect immediately instead of waiting for it to finish going down the wrong path
  • Terminal access — If your workflows involve scripts, git, or command-line tools, Code can run them directly. Cowork can’t as easily
  • Reliability on complex tasks — Cowork can stall mid-task on multi-step workflows. Code tends to hold up longer

The bottom line

Cowork is easier to start with. Claude Code rewards you for the extra setup.

With Code, you get more precision, speed, control, extensibility, and reliability. If you’re doing especially complex tasks, the investment in setup can be worth it.

Start with Cowork to get a feel for what’s possible. Graduate to Claude Code when you’re ready for a more “power user” experience.

Watch my intro to Claude Cowork

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