Xtended vs Claude Memory: Transparent but Still Siloed

The Bottom Line

Choose Claude Memory if: Claude is your primary AI, you appreciate transparent file-based storage, and you don't need your memory accessible from other tools.

Choose Xtended if: You work across multiple AI tools, want relational queries over your knowledge, or need your context in Claude AND ChatGPT AND Cursor simultaneously.

What Claude Memory Does Differently

Anthropic's approach to memory deserves credit for being more thoughtful than most:

Transparent File-Based Storage

Unlike ChatGPT's black-box approach, Claude stores memory in simple Markdown files (CLAUDE.md). You can see exactly what Claude knows. This transparency is genuinely valuable.

Project-Scoped Memory

Claude creates separate memory for each project. Your product launch planning doesn't mix with client work. Confidential conversations stay contained. This is a smart safety guardrail.

Import/Export

You can bring conversation histories from ChatGPT or Gemini by copy-pasting. This acknowledges that users have context in other tools.

Incognito Mode

Need a conversation that doesn't affect memory? Incognito Chat exists for exactly that.

The Silo Problem Remains

Despite the thoughtful design, Claude Memory is still Claude-only:

The Xtended + Claude Relationship

Here's the thing: Xtended works with Claude via MCP. You get the best of both worlds:

Claude Desktop → MCP → Xtended

Claude can read and write to Xtended's structured knowledge.
That same knowledge is also accessible from ChatGPT, Cursor,
your own apps, and any MCP-compatible tool.

Claude Memory is great for Claude. Xtended is great for your knowledge working everywhere, including Claude.

The Query Difference

What you can ask Claude Memory:

• "What did we discuss about Project X?"
• "Remind me of my preferences for..."
• "What context do you have on..."

What you can ask Xtended:

• "How many deals are in negotiation?" → Exact count
• "What's the total pipeline by owner?" → Aggregated values
• "Which contacts haven't been reached in 30 days?" → Filtered list
• Plus natural language queries via Claude MCP

Claude Memory excels at conversational recall. Xtended excels at structured queries and insights.

When to Use Which

Use Claude Memory when:

• Claude is your only AI tool
• You appreciate the transparent file-based approach
• Project-scoped memory fits your workflow
• You're on Pro/Max plans anyway

Use Xtended when:

• You use multiple AI tools beyond Claude
• You need structured relational queries and insights
• Explicit typed relationships matter
• You're building AI workflows that span tools

Use both when:

• Let Claude Memory handle conversational context within Claude
• Use Xtended (via MCP) for structured knowledge that works everywhere
• They complement rather than conflict

The Honest Take

Claude Memory is the most transparent implementation of AI memory we've seen from a major platform. The file-based approach, project scoping, and import/export features show Anthropic is thinking carefully about user needs.

But it's still tied to Claude. The memory you build in Claude doesn't work in ChatGPT. It doesn't power your custom apps. It can't be queried relationally.

Claude Memory is excellent within Claude. Xtended is for knowledge that transcends any single AI platform.