Claude Code usage limits

Anthropic does not publish a fixed message or token count for Claude Code. It publishes multiples: what each plan gets relative to another, per 5-hour session.

How the limits work

Rolling 5-hour session window plus weekly limits on paid plans; Claude Code shares the pool with Claude chat; no fixed message count published; optional usage credits at API rates.

Limits by plan

Tool	Plan	Price	Usage / limits	Source
Claude Code	Free	$0	No Claude Code	source 2026-10-14
Claude Code	Pro	$20/mo $17/mo annual	At least 5x Free per 5-hour session; exact tokens unknown 5× Free	source 2026-10-14
Claude Code	Max 5x	$100/mo	5x Pro per 5-hour session; $100/mo API credits 5× Pro	source 2026-10-14
Claude Code	Max 20x	price unknown	20x Pro per 5-hour session; $200/mo API credits. Price not shown on card ('From $100'); third-party sources say $200 - unverified 20× Pro	source 2026-10-14

What Anthropic does not publish

A fixed number of messages or tokens per 5-hour session.
The monthly price of Max 20x (the card says "From $100").

How other tools meter usage

Cursor: Shared AI usage pool across Cursor and Grok; allowance refreshes weekly; third-party models billed separately at API list price; top-offs available.
OpenAI Codex: Included in ChatGPT plans. Plus: estimated local messages per 5-hour window (e.g. GPT-6.1 Sol 15-160, GPT-6 Astra 5-45), weekly limits may apply. Pro: no 5-hour limit currently. Credits extend usage.
GitHub Copilot: Monthly GitHub AI Credits (1 credit = $0.01) = base + variable flex allotment; resets monthly; completions unlimited on paid plans; overage at $0.01/credit with a budget.
Windsurf (now Devin Desktop): Quota allowance refreshing daily and weekly; extra usage at API pricing. windsurf.com/pricing now redirects to devin.ai/pricing (checked 2026-10-14 18:15 CT).

FAQ

How long is the Claude Code usage window?

Paid plans use a rolling 5-hour session window plus weekly limits, per claude.com/pricing.

Does Claude Code share limits with Claude chat?

Yes. Claude Code draws from the same usage pool as Claude chat on the same plan.

How much more does Max give than Pro?

Max 5x gives 5x Pro usage per 5-hour session and includes $100 a month of API credits; Max 20x gives 20x Pro per session and $200 a month of API credits.

Can I use Claude Code on the free plan?

No. The Free plan does not include Claude Code.

Head-to-head comparisons

Cursor vs Claude Codepaid from $8 / $20 Claude Code vs Codexpaid from $20 / $8 Cursor vs Copilotpaid from $8 / $10 Cursor vs Claude Code vs Codexpaid from $8 / $20 / $8 Copilot vs Codexpaid from $10 / $8 Devin Desktop vs Cursorpaid from $20 / $8

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