Replit Switches Default AI from Anthropic to OpenAI, Keeps Claude Available

Replit, the AI‑coding platform, said at TechCrunch Disrupt that OpenAI’s ChatGPT will become its default model, replacing Anthropic’s Claude, yet users can still pick Claude on the platform.

Key points

• Replit’s CEO Amjad Masad announced the switch to OpenAI’s ChatGPT as default.
• Anthropic’s Claude remains available to users on the platform.
• The change follows an August partnership with OpenAI and cost‑performance considerations.
• Replit’s enterprise revenue grew from 2% to 15% of total ARR in 2025.
• Masad noted that over half of projected 2027 revenue may come from enterprise and government contracts.

What happened

Replit’s co‑founder Amjad Masad told the audience at TechCrunch Disrupt that the company will now use OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the default AI model for its platform. The announcement came after Replit had partnered with OpenAI in August; however, the statement clarified that Anthropic’s Claude would still be available to users. “We publish a public benchmark as well, and consistently, Sol and Astra perform better on building vibe‑coded applications from scratch,” Masad said, citing internal and public benchmarks that favored OpenAI.

Prior to the OpenAI partnership, Replit relied on Claude models to power its services. The company had been a top‑five customer of Anthropic and had highlighted Claude Fable 5 and 5.1 in its Agent production environment in late September. Despite the new default, Masad emphasized that Replit remains model agnostic.

Masad also revealed revenue trends, noting that enterprise accounted for only 2 % of revenue last year but rose to 15 % this year, with more than half of revenue now coming from B2B contracts. He projected that enterprise and government clients would constitute over 50 % of revenue in 2027.

The backstory

Replit has positioned itself as a browser‑based development environment that integrates AI assistance through its Replit Agent. The platform initially partnered with Anthropic to leverage Claude models, which helped drive early growth. In August, Replit announced a new partnership with OpenAI, but the shift to a default model had not been publicly disclosed until Masad’s address. Industry analysts note that many SaaS companies evaluate model providers based on cost, performance, and partnership depth, and Replit’s move reflects a broader trend of consolidating around the most cost‑effective and high‑performing AI.

Why the switch matters

Cost and performance are the main drivers cited by Masad. OpenAI’s pricing structure is reportedly lower than Anthropic’s for similar workloads, and internal benchmarks show that OpenAI models deliver faster response times on Replit’s “vibe‑coded” applications. By making ChatGPT the default, Replit can reduce the number of customers selecting Anthropic models, thereby cutting its spend on Anthropic. The shift also strengthens the partnership with OpenAI, potentially unlocking further integrations and support.

Impact on pricing and partnerships

Replit’s move signals to the market that Anthropic may lose a significant revenue source, while OpenAI gains a high‑profile customer. For Replit, the default change could reduce operational costs but may also risk alienating users who prefer Claude’s capabilities. The company’s claim that it remains model agnostic mitigates this risk, but the real test will be whether users continue to switch to the default or stick with Anthropic. Enterprise customers may weigh the cost savings against the need for specialized model features.

What builders and businesses should do

• Evaluate whether your current AI workloads align with OpenAI’s pricing and performance metrics.
• If you rely on Anthropic’s Claude, assess the cost impact of switching to OpenAI on Replit.
• Monitor Replit’s public benchmarks for updates on model performance in real‑world scenarios.
• Consider building a multi‑model strategy to keep flexibility if a single provider’s terms change.
• Engage with Replit’s support to understand any changes to the Agent’s integration points.

The bottom line

Replit’s default shift to OpenAI may cut its Anthropic spend and strengthen its partnership with OpenAI, but users will still have access to Claude. Watch how enterprise clients respond and whether Replit’s cost savings materialize before the end of 2026.