claude-sonnet-5 vs composer-2.5
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-sonnet-5 | composer-2.5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 50% | 57% | +7% (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Median task time | 4m 22s | 1m 30s | 2m 52s faster (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.005 / task | $0.023 / task | $0.018 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-sonnet-5: 6.0% of Claude Max 20x (6.0% / 5h, 1.0% / 1w) per run. composer-2.5: 1.8% of Cursor Pro (1.8% / 1m) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-sonnet-5 2435 vs composer-2.5 57 suite runs per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 12.18 vs 2.84 (claude-sonnet-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-sonnet-5 | composer-2.5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 39% | 51% | +12% (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Median task time | 4m 38s | 4m 30s | 8s faster (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.010 / task | $0.029 / task | $0.019 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-sonnet-5: 3.0% of Claude Max 20x (3.0% / 5h) per run. composer-2.5: 0.6% of Cursor Pro (0.6% / 1m) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-sonnet-5 4870 vs composer-2.5 173 suite runs per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 24.35 vs 8.66 (claude-sonnet-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-sonnet-5 | composer-2.5 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 34% | 37% | +3% (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Median task time | 5m 17s | 1m 51s | 3m 26s faster (composer-2.5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.008 / task | $0.024 / task | $0.016 / task lower (claude-sonnet-5 leads) |
claude-sonnet-5: 0.6% of Claude Max 20x (0.6% / 5h) per good solve. composer-2.5: 0.1% of Cursor Pro (0.1% / 1m) 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-sonnet-5 24350 vs composer-2.5 822 good solves per month (claude-sonnet-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 121.75 vs 41.11 (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-sonnet-5 or composer-2.5?
Both clear tier 2 of 5, but composer-2.5 scores higher on capability: 57% versus 50% on real-world@v3, our private suite of real-world coding problems. Latest measurement 2026-08-18.
Which gives more work per dollar, claude-sonnet-5 or composer-2.5?
claude-sonnet-5 delivers more benchmark work per subscription dollar: 12.18 suite runs per plan-dollar versus 2.84 for composer-2.5 (at $200/month priced 2026-08-05, and $20/month priced 2026-07-20). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike raw quota shares they are comparable across plans.
How much do claude-sonnet-5 and composer-2.5 cost?
claude-sonnet-5 runs on Claude Max 20x at $200/month (public price as of 2026-08-05). composer-2.5 runs on Cursor Pro at $20/month (public price as of 2026-07-20).