Protect client data without a costly business plan
The short answer: ChatGPT and Claude business plans start at USD 20 per person per month, require at least two seats, and according to the providers don't use your data for training by default. Your client data still ends up with the provider, though. If you replace names, addresses and amounts with placeholders on your own computer first, they never leave your office, whatever plan you use.
Is my data used for training?
It depends on the plan. On plans for individuals, both major providers may use your conversations to improve their models unless you turn that off:
- ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro: OpenAI may use your content for training. You can turn this off under "Data controls" in the settings with the switch "Improve the model for everyone". If you rate an answer with a thumbs up or down, the entire conversation may still be used.
- Claude Free, Pro, Max and Ultra: Anthropic changed its consumer terms in 2025. Since then, it trains on your chats when the setting for it is on. In that case Anthropic keeps the data for up to five years, otherwise for 30 days.
Business plans work the other way around. According to the providers, ChatGPT Business, ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude Team and Claude Enterprise don't use your content for training by default. The same applies to both providers' APIs. That is a real advantage of the business plans, and we won't pretend otherwise.
What do the business plans cost?
Prices are listed in US dollars on the providers' websites, before tax. Prices in other currencies, such as Swiss francs, may differ. As of October 30, 2026.
| Plan | Price per person per month | Minimum size |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Business | USD 25 billed monthly, USD 20 billed annually | 2 seats |
| ChatGPT Enterprise | not published, contact sales | not published |
| Claude Team | USD 25 billed monthly, USD 20 billed annually | 2 seats (up to 150) |
| Claude Enterprise | USD 20 billed annually, plus usage at API rates | 20 seats |
ChatGPT Business and Claude Team also offer seats with more usage for USD 100 to 125 per person per month. An example with made-up numbers: an office of four pays 4 × USD 20 × 12 months for ChatGPT Business on an annual plan, or USD 960 a year. A freelancer working alone still has to buy the two-seat minimum, so they pay for a seat nobody uses.
What stays the same with a business plan?
No training doesn't mean the data stays in your office. Whatever you upload goes to the provider, where it is processed and stored. OpenAI says it removes deleted chats from its systems within 30 days. Until a chat is deleted, it stays with the provider.
In Switzerland, the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) applies. The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) stated in 2023 that the current act applies directly to AI tools. Articles 16 and 17 set out when personal data may be sent abroad. Article 9 only allows outsourcing to a service provider if no legal or contractual duty of confidentiality prohibits it. In the EU, the GDPR sets similar rules. If you work under professional secrecy, you need to look more closely.
And terms change. Claude's 2025 update shows that a provider can rewrite its rules for individual users. If you rely on a setting, you need to keep an eye on it.
How does Zecretly act as a wall?
Zecretly steps in earlier: before a document leaves your computer. The app replaces names, companies, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, IBANs, Swiss social security (AHV) numbers and customer numbers with placeholders. It shifts amounts and dates so that totals and ratios stay consistent. An example with made-up data:
Mr. Daniel Brunner, Lindenweg 7, 8400 Winterthur, salary CHF 7,450
becomesMr. [PERSON_1], [ADRESSE_1], salary [BETRAG_1]
The link between each placeholder and its real value is stored encrypted on your computer. Protecting and restoring work without an internet connection. Afterwards you open the answer from ChatGPT or Claude in Zecretly again, and the real values are back. This works with any service and any plan, including the free one.
When does a business plan still make sense?
A business plan offers more than opting out of training: central account management, shared workspaces and, explicitly offered by OpenAI, a Data Processing Addendum. If your team uses ChatGPT or Claude every day, it may well be worth it. Zecretly doesn't replace that, it adds to it: even with a business plan, only placeholders leave your office.
What can't Zecretly do?
Zecretly doesn't find every value. Descriptions like "the owner of the bakery by the station", text in images and scanned PDFs without a text layer aren't reliably detected. PDFs lose their layout. So read through the protected copy before you upload it. And Zecretly can't tell you whether you're allowed to share certain data in the first place. Check that with your data protection officer or your legal advisor.
Which article fits your work?
- ChatGPT for accountants and fiduciaries: protect payroll, tax returns and accounts
- ChatGPT for small businesses: a simple rule for your team
- ChatGPT for freelancers: no IT department, no business contract
- Professional secrecy and ChatGPT: notes for lawyers and doctors
Sources
- OpenAI: ChatGPT Pricing and Managing billing and seats in ChatGPT Business, accessed October 30, 2026
- OpenAI: How your data is used to improve model performance and Enterprise privacy, accessed October 30, 2026
- Anthropic: Plans and pricing and Updates to our consumer terms, accessed October 30, 2026
- Anthropic: How long do you store my data, accessed October 30, 2026
- Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, SR 235.1), Art. 9, 16 and 17: fedlex.admin.ch, accessed October 30, 2026
- FDPIC: Current data protection law is directly applicable to AI (in German), November 9, 2023, accessed October 30, 2026
Try Zecretly: The app works locally on your computer. Download Zecretly or first read how Zecretly works.