What is Claude Cowork?
Cowork is Claude's agent mode for tasks on your own computer. According to Anthropic's getting-started page (as of 18 September 2026), Cowork is included in the paid Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans; in the Claude desktop app for macOS and Windows, Claude reads and writes local files without uploading or downloading them. An internet connection is required throughout the session.
Where the work runs is described in the architecture overview of 16 September 2026: by default, Cowork sessions run in the cloud, with the agent loop and code execution on Anthropic's servers, and local files that Cowork opens are processed there too. In local sessions, the work runs on the computer, with code in an isolated virtual machine; on Team plans, according to Anthropic, cloud sessions are switched on by default. Since 16 September 2026, Anthropic has been gradually merging Cowork and chat into a single interface, starting with Pro and Max.
Biwak and Claude side by side
| Biwak | Claude Team with Cowork | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | A desktop app for macOS and Windows; the agent works on tasks in the chosen working folder and backs it up first. | Chat, projects and Cowork in the Claude desktop app for macOS and Windows; plus Claude Code for programming tasks. |
| Where the model computes | Not on your computer: Microsoft Azure processes the model requests in the EU Data Zone. If Azure declines one, PREM SA in Lugano passes it on to its compute partners Nebius and TensorX in the EU and the United Kingdom. The full route. | At Anthropic. According to Anthropic, it may route requests to selected countries in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia; US-only processing can be selected for the API and usage-based Enterprise plans. |
| Where data is stored | Files, conversations and checkpoints on your computer; account and usage data in a database in Frankfurt am Main. What Microsoft stores on Azure for abuse detection is kept in Germany. | According to Anthropic, data is stored in the USA. Cowork cloud sessions are saved in the Claude account. |
| Team | In the Rope Team plan, any number of colleagues work with their own access from one quota; a jointly edited workspace is not promised. | Team plan for 2 to 150 seats: projects, knowledge bases, collaboration, central administration and billing. |
| Connectors | Works with files in the folder, such as exports; no connection to Microsoft 365, Google services or other programs. | Connectors to Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, GitHub, Microsoft 365 and Slack, according to the Team description. |
| Training | No training on your content; on Microsoft Azure this rests on Microsoft's documented commitment, and on the fallback route via Prem's partners on contracts, not on technology. | Inputs and outputs from commercial products such as the Team plan are not used for training, except for feedback or explicit opt-in. |
| Costs and access | Subscription at €19 for one person or €99 for the whole team, cancellable monthly; a one-off 100 credits to try it out. Plans. | Price per person or seat, Cowork from the Pro plan upwards. The current Claude plans are authoritative. |
What Claude with Cowork does better
- Collaboration: shared projects and knowledge bases matter when several people need to work with the same material.
- Existing company sources: the documented connectors to Microsoft 365, Google services, Slack and GitHub save duplicate filing, provided the connection and permissions fit.
- Breadth: besides Cowork, the package includes chat, Claude Code and access via web and mobile devices; ours is a desktop app for office tasks, nothing more.
- Central administration: the Team plan documents administration, access control and billing for the organisation.
If shared projects, ready-made connectors and multiple devices count, start with Claude. If it is about a file task with a checkpoint, model processing in the EU and personal support, test Biwak.
Test case: a folder with three quotes
Put three approved copies of quotes in a folder and share it once with Cowork and once as a working folder in Biwak. Both should create a comparison table with page references and mark missing details as missing. Then look in the folder: which files are new, which were changed, and can the previous state be restored? With Cowork, also clarify whether the session ran in the cloud or locally; on Team plans, according to Anthropic, cloud sessions are switched on by default. The framework for such a trial is the checklist for an AI pilot.
Where the information on Claude comes from
Written by Biwak, one of the two providers compared, and therefore not a neutral test. The information on Claude and Cowork comes from Anthropic's help and privacy pages with the dates stated there, checked on 23 September 2026; we have set it alongside our own information on Biwak. We have not tried out or measured both programs with the same task, and we describe the test case above as a guide, not as a result. Because Anthropic is currently merging Cowork with chat, this page will go out of date faster than others. We welcome feedback at kontakt@biwak.ai.
Frequently asked questions
Do my files stay on my computer with Claude Cowork?
The files are on your computer, but whatever Cowork opens is processed on Anthropic's servers in cloud sessions; according to Anthropic's architecture overview, cloud sessions are the default. In local sessions, the work runs on the computer. In both cases, the language model runs at Anthropic.
Is Claude just a chatbot?
No. Besides chat and projects, the Team plan also includes Cowork for tasks with local files and Claude Code for programming tasks. Compare the specific workflow your company wants to use, rather than just the label chatbot or agent.
Can we use Biwak and Claude for different tasks?
Yes, you can choose per task. Define which information belongs in which system and where the authoritative result is kept. The accounts, usage billing and data processing of the two offerings must still be considered separately.
How do you compare document work sensibly?
Give both tools the same approved documents and ask for the same result with source references. Check completeness, errors, format and total rework. A single good draft is not yet general proof of quality.
Sources
- Anthropic: Get started with Claude Cowork, as of 18 September 2026
- Anthropic: Claude Cowork architecture overview, 16 September 2026
- Anthropic: Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, as of 22 September 2026
- Anthropic: What is the Team plan?, as of 22 September 2026
- Anthropic: Where are your servers located?, 15 June 2026
- Anthropic: Is my data used for model training?, 18 August 2026
- Anthropic: Cowork is now Claude, 16 September 2026
- Anthropic: Plans and pricing (undated, checked on 23 September 2026)
- Biwak: Privacy policy, section 14 (requests to a language model)