Anthropic is setting new weekly limits on how much people can use its AI coding assistant, Claude Code. This change comes after the company noticed that some users were running Claude nonstop, using it in the background all day, every day. A few users were even found sharing their accounts or reselling access, which goes against Anthropic’s rules. To fix this, starting 28 August, subscribers to the Pro, Max 100, and Max 200 plans will face new usage limits that reset every week, in addition to the existing five-hour usage window.
The company says most users will not be affected by the change. They claim that less than five percent of users fall into the category of heavy usage. Under the new limits, those on the Pro plan can expect around 40 to 80 hours of Claude Sonnet 4 use each week. Users on the 100-dollar Max plan get 140 to 280 hours of Sonnet 4 and up to 35 hours of Opus 4. Those on the 200-dollar Max plan will receive the highest access up to 480 hours of Sonnet 4 and 40 hours of Opus 4. However, Anthropic has not been clear on how it calculates these hours, which may vary depending on the size of the code or tasks being done.
Claude Code has grown popular among developers, but this popularity has also strained the system. Over the past month, it has experienced multiple outages, likely due to the high demand. Anthropic’s spokesperson confirmed that demand for the tool has been “unprecedented” and that limiting usage is necessary to keep the service reliable for everyone. The company is also exploring other options in the future for people who need to run Claude for longer periods.
Anthropic, like many AI firms today, faces challenges related to the huge amount of computing power these models require. They are not alone in adjusting usage or pricing. Other companies offering AI coding tools, like Cursor and Replit, have also had to change how they price or limit access for heavy users. These moves have sometimes upset users who felt caught off guard or charged unfairly.
Anthropic says these rate limits are a short-term solution to make sure Claude works well for most users. While power users may find it frustrating, the company insists the limits are necessary to keep the tool running smoothly as demand continues to grow. They have also promised to introduce more flexible options down the line for users with long-running or advanced coding needs.
