Where ChatGPT is another hosted chatbot, Ollama and LM Studio run models on your own machine, and Claude sits with the first group as a desktop front end. This Windows build comes from Anthropic, PBC, and the installer is served from downloads.claude.ai. We do not host the file.
A desktop AI partner built for deep work
Claude is an AI partner for desktop, meant to be fast and focused. It is a chatbot and large language model app in the ai-tools category. The package ID is Anthropic.Claude.
What a session looks like at 250.7 MB
You install the 250.7 MB package, open the window and type to the assistant.
The app is free.
Claude against ChatGPT, Ollama and Jan
The alternatives fall into two kinds. ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are comparable assistant apps, while Ollama, LM Studio and Jan are tools for local models. Treat Claude as a connected app until Anthropic states otherwise.
What's new in 2.42304.2
Version 2.42304.2 was released on October 19, 2026.
Claude pros and cons
Pros
- Published by Anthropic, PBC
- Free to download and use
- Download served from downloads.claude.ai
- Installs through the package ID Anthropic.Claude
Cons
- The 250.7 MB size is large for a chat app
- Little feature detail is available before installing
- Proprietary license, so the code is closed
Is Claude safe?
The installer for Claude on Windows is served from downloads.claude.ai, the official host, and the publisher is Anthropic, PBC. It is proprietary software, so Anthropic's own terms govern how your chats and account are handled. Read them before you sign in.
How to install Claude
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Claude from the Start menu.
