Claude vs GPT-4 vs Gemini: Which AI is Best for File Naming?

FilesDesk supports multiple AI providers: Anthropic's Claude, OpenAI's GPT-4, Google's Gemini, OpenRouter, and local Ollama models. Each has different strengths, costs, and performance characteristics.

This guide helps you choose the right AI provider for your specific file naming needs.

Quick Comparison Table

Provider	Best For	Speed	Accuracy	Cost (per 1000 files)
Claude Sonnet 3.5/4	PDFs, documents	Fast	★★★★★	$15-25
Claude Haiku 3.5	Budget-friendly	Very Fast	★★★★☆	$1-3
GPT-4o	Complex images	Medium	★★★★★	$20-30
GPT-4o-mini	General purpose	Fast	★★★★☆	$2-4
Gemini 2.0 Flash	Speed + accuracy	Very Fast	★★★★★	$5-10
Ollama (local)	Privacy, unlimited	Slow-Medium	★★★☆☆	$0 (hardware)

Detailed Provider Analysis

Anthropic Claude (Recommended for Most Users)

Models Available:

• Claude Sonnet 3.5/4 (flagship)
• Claude Haiku 3.5 (fast & affordable)

Strengths:

• Excellent document understanding (PDFs, Word docs)
• Superior context awareness and naming consistency
• Best-in-class vision capabilities for complex documents
• Haiku offers incredible value for simple files

Best Use Cases:

• Invoice and receipt processing
• Legal and financial documents
• Technical documentation
• Scanned PDFs

OpenAI GPT-4

Models Available:

• GPT-4o (optimized flagship)
• GPT-4o-mini (cost-effective)

Strengths:

• Exceptional image understanding
• Strong at detecting UI elements in screenshots
• Excellent for creative/design files
• Widely available and well-documented

Best Use Cases:

• Screenshots of applications
• Design mockups and wireframes
• Photos with complex scenes
• General-purpose file renaming

Considerations:

• GPT-4o can be slower than Gemini or Claude Haiku
• Slightly higher cost than budget options
• May be overkill for simple documents

Google Gemini

Models Available:

• Gemini 2.0 Flash (newest, fastest)
• Gemini 1.5 Pro (comprehensive)
• Gemini 1.5 Flash (budget)

Strengths:

• Extremely fast processing
• Excellent price-to-performance ratio
• Strong multi-modal capabilities
• 2.0 Flash rivals Sonnet for accuracy

Best Use Cases:

• High-volume batch processing
• Real-time watch folder automation
• Mixed file types (images, docs, videos)
• Budget-conscious users needing top-tier quality

Why Choose Gemini:

If you process hundreds of files daily and need speed without sacrificing accuracy, Gemini 2.0 Flash is hard to beat.

OpenRouter (Aggregator)

What It Is:

OpenRouter provides access to dozens of AI models through a single API, including Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and many open-source models.

Strengths:

• Access to all major providers with one API key
• Dynamic model selection
• Competitive pricing
• Fallback options if one provider is down

Best For:

• Users who want flexibility
• Testing different models without multiple accounts
• Production systems needing redundancy

Ollama (Local AI)

What It Is:

Run open-source AI models locally on your own hardware (LLaVA, BakLLaVA, etc.).

Strengths:

• Complete privacy - files never leave your computer
• No API costs (unlimited usage)
• No internet required
• Full control over model selection

Weaknesses:

• Requires powerful hardware (GPU recommended)
• Slower processing than cloud APIs
• Lower accuracy than flagship models
• More technical setup required

Best For:

• Privacy-critical scenarios (legal, medical, financial)
• Users processing thousands of files monthly
• Offline environments
• Technical users comfortable with setup

Cost Analysis (Real-World Scenarios)

Scenario 1: Freelancer (500 files/month)

• Claude Haiku: $0.50 - 1.50/month
• Gemini Flash: $2.50 - 5/month
• GPT-4o-mini: $1 - 2/month
• FilesDesk Server: Free tier covers this (15 credits included)

Scenario 2: Small Business (2000 files/month)

• Claude Sonnet: $30 - 50/month
• Gemini 2.0 Flash: $10 - 20/month ✅ Best value
• GPT-4o: $40 - 60/month
• Ollama: $0/month (after hardware investment)

Scenario 3: Enterprise (10,000+ files/month)

• Ollama: $0/month ✅ Recommended for volume
• Gemini Flash: $50 - 100/month
• Claude Haiku: $10 - 30/month

Recommendations by Use Case

Best Overall: Claude Sonnet 3.5/4

If you want the most accurate results and handle important documents, Claude Sonnet is the gold standard.

Best Value: Gemini 2.0 Flash

For users needing top-tier performance at reasonable cost, Gemini 2.0 Flash offers exceptional value.

Best Budget: Claude Haiku 3.5

Simple files, tight budget? Haiku delivers surprising accuracy at minimal cost.

Best for Privacy: Ollama

Sensitive documents that can't leave your network? Ollama is your only choice.

Best for Speed: Gemini 2.0 Flash

Processing thousands of files in watch folders? Gemini's speed is unmatched.

How to Switch Providers in FilesDesk

1. Open FilesDesk Settings
2. Go to "AI Providers" tab
3. Select your preferred provider
4. Enter your API key (or FilesDesk Server credentials)
5. Click "Test Connection"
6. Save and start renaming

You can change providers at any time, and even use different providers for different workflows.

Conclusion

There's no single "best" AI provider—it depends on your specific needs. Start with FilesDesk Server (includes free credits) to test the waters, then graduate to direct API access for volume work.

For most users, we recommend Gemini 2.0 Flash for the best balance of speed, accuracy, and cost. For mission-critical documents, upgrade to Claude Sonnet. For massive volume, consider Ollama.

The beauty of FilesDesk? You're never locked in. Switch providers anytime.