Claude's pricing page now lists an Ultra plan at $200 a month with no 5-hour limit for verified accounts. Claude's post on X (Oct. 30) says the old Max 20x plan is now Ultra and Max 5x is simply Max, which stays at $100 a month. Current subscribers do not need to do anything, it says.

What each plan gets

The pricing page lists these tiers:

  • Pro, $20 a month ($17 a month billed annually): the base tier the 5x and 10x multiples below are measured against.
  • Max, $100 a month: 5x Pro usage, applied every 5 hours and every week, plus $100 a month in API credits.
  • Ultra, $200 a month: 10x Pro usage every week, no 5-hour limit for verified accounts, and API credits that the page says are "up from $100 on Max."

The page shows Ultra at 10x Pro weekly and does not say how that relates to the old 20x name; neither source explains it. The page does not mention the rename, so that part rests on Claude's post. Usage limits still apply on both plans, and the page notes that how fast you hit one depends on the model, chat length and file size.

What changes for existing subscribers

Claude's post says:

  • Nothing to do: current subscribers need take no action.
  • Rollout: the 5-hour limit is being removed for verified Ultra accounts "starting today with most existing subscribers"; the post does not say which existing accounts are not included yet.
  • Newer accounts: they keep a temporary limit until verified, which the post says helps prevent fraud and abuse.
  • Notice: the post says you'll get an email when the limit is removed.
  • Weekly limits: unchanged.

Neither source says what verification involves or how long it takes for a newer account.

What this means for you

  • If you are on Max and rarely hit a 5-hour limit: nothing in the post or the page gives a reason to move. The plan and its price are the same.
  • If the 5-hour limit is what slows you down: Ultra is the plan the page lists without one, at twice Max's price. Verification applies, and the weekly cap still exists.
  • If you rely on API credits: Ultra includes double Max's credits. Whether that is worth the extra cost depends on how many of those credits you actually use, which neither source can tell you.

Why it matters

Ultra drops the 5-hour cap; Max keeps it. The change is a removal, not a new allowance. Weekly limits are unchanged per the post, so Ultra users still face a weekly cap. People running long sessions may stop hitting a rolling limit but can still run out for the week. And for a newer account the benefit arrives only after verification, so the plan name alone does not guarantee it.

For how Anthropic ties background work to plan allowances, see Claude Duet, a proactive agent. For another recent Anthropic announcement, see Anthropic's survey of staff and US workers on AI. More is in AI & Apps.