AI tool Claude for beginners: free plan, paid plans and limits
Claude is a chat assistant from Anthropic. The free plan works on the web, desktop and phone and includes web search, file creation and memory across conversations, with usage limits that reset every five hours and every week. The Pro plan is listed at $20 a month, or $17 a month when you pay $200 for the year up front.
- What it is
- Chat assistant
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pro plan
- $17 to $20 a month
What the free plan includes
Anthropic's pricing page lists these on the Free plan:
- Chat on the web, the desktop app and the phone app.
- Web search, file creation and code execution.
- Memory across conversations.
- Connections to your apps and tools.
The limit is on how much you can use it. The page describes free usage as limited in two windows, one that resets every five hours and one that resets every week. It doesn't give a message count.
What the paid plans cost
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | |
| Pro | $20 a month | $17 a month ($200 up front) |
| Max | $100 a month | Monthly billing only |
| Ultra | $200 a month | |
| Team, standard seat | $25 a seat | $20 a seat |
| Team, premium seat | $125 a seat | $100 a seat |
Prices are from Anthropic's pricing page on Nov 11, 2026. Team is for groups of 2 to 150 people. The page describes Ultra as the plan for your longest tasks, with no five-hour limit and 10 times the weekly usage of Pro.
What to try first
- Hand it a long document. Paste in a lease, a policy or a long email thread and ask for the five things you need to know.
- Ask it to draft, then edit together. "Write a short note declining this invitation" and then "warmer, and mention I'd like to come next time."
- Have it make a file. Ask for a simple budget spreadsheet or a one-page checklist, since file creation is on the free plan.
If you run out of free usage, the window resets on its own. Come back in a few hours before you decide you need Pro.
When paying makes sense
Pro is for people who hit the five-hour limit often. If that's you a few times a week, the annual price works out lower per month than paying monthly. If you only run out now and then, the free plan is doing its job.
Still choosing an assistant? See ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude free?
Yes. Anthropic's pricing page lists a Free plan at $0 with chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, file creation, code execution and memory across conversations. Usage is limited every five hours and every week.
How much is Claude Pro?
Anthropic's pricing page listed Pro at $20 a month billed monthly, or $17 a month billed annually as $200 up front, when we checked on Nov 11, 2026.
What is Claude Max?
Max is the plan above Pro for people who use Claude heavily. The pricing page listed it at $100 a month, with monthly billing only. Above that is Ultra, listed at $200 a month.
Is there a Claude plan for teams?
Yes. The Team plan is for groups of 2 to 150. A standard seat was listed at $25 a month billed monthly or $20 billed annually, and a premium seat at $125 or $100.
How do we know this?
We check every plan, price and limit on this page against the company's own pages, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.