claude-fable-5 vs claude-sonnet-5
Each agent graded on the same private suites, running headless through its own tools. Advantages are oriented so a win is a win, whichever way the metric runs.
| Dimension | claude-fable-5 | claude-sonnet-5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 60% | 50% | +10% (claude-fable-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 3m 12s | 4m 22s | 1m 10s faster (claude-fable-5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.031 / task | $0.005 / task | $0.026 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-fable-5: 34.0% of Claude Max 20x (34.0% / 5h, 5.0% / 1w) per run. claude-sonnet-5: 6.0% of Claude Max 20x (6.0% / 5h, 1.0% / 1w) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-fable-5 430 vs claude-sonnet-5 2435 suite runs per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 2.15 vs 12.18 (claude-sonnet-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-fable-5 | claude-sonnet-5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 64% | 39% | +25% (claude-fable-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 5m 54s | 4m 38s | 1m 17s faster (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.041 / task | $0.010 / task | $0.031 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-fable-5: 12.0% of Claude Max 20x (12.0% / 5h, 1.0% / 1w) per run. claude-sonnet-5: 3.0% of Claude Max 20x (3.0% / 5h) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-fable-5 1218 vs claude-sonnet-5 4870 suite runs per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 6.09 vs 24.35 (claude-sonnet-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-fable-5 | claude-sonnet-5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 69% | 34% | +35% (claude-fable-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 5m 25s | 5m 17s | 8s faster (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.038 / task | $0.008 / task | $0.030 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-fable-5: 2.8% of Claude Max 20x (2.8% / 5h, 0.6% / 1w) per good solve. claude-sonnet-5: 0.6% of Claude Max 20x (0.6% / 5h) per good solve. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-fable-5 5218 vs claude-sonnet-5 24350 good solves per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 26.09 vs 121.75 (claude-sonnet-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
Grades and deltas are comparable only within a suite version. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for coding, claude-fable-5 or claude-sonnet-5?
claude-fable-5 clears higher: tier 4 of 5 versus tier 2 for claude-sonnet-5 on real-world@v3, our private suite of real-world coding problems. Latest measurement 2026-08-17.
Which gives more work per dollar, claude-fable-5 or claude-sonnet-5?
claude-sonnet-5 delivers more benchmark work per subscription dollar: 12.18 suite runs per plan-dollar versus 2.15 for claude-fable-5 (at $200/month priced 2026-08-05, and $200/month priced 2026-08-05). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike raw quota shares they are comparable across plans.
How much do claude-fable-5 and claude-sonnet-5 cost?
claude-fable-5 runs on Claude Max 20x at $200/month (public price as of 2026-08-05). claude-sonnet-5 runs on Claude Max 20x at $200/month (public price as of 2026-08-05).