Anthropic introduces new rate limits to curb excessive use of Claude Code by power users

Anthropic introduces new weekly rate limits for Claude Code to address excessive use by a few.

: Anthropic is implementing new weekly rate limits for its AI coding tool, Claude Code, to manage usage among subscribers who frequently run it. These limits go into effect on August 28 for the Pro and Max plans and target users who continuously run Claude Code. The changes aim to curb the practice of account sharing and reselling access to the tool. Anthropic estimates that less than 5% of subscribers will be affected, with options available for additional usage at standard API rates.

Anthropic, a company dedicated to AI development, announced new weekly rate limits for its AI coding tool called Claude Code. These new limits are designed to curb excessive use by subscribers who continuously run the tool in the background. Starting on August 28, subscribers across various plans, including the $20-per-month Pro and higher-tier Max plans, will see these limits in effect to address usage policy violations such as account sharing and reselling access.

The official announcement was shared via email to subscribers and a post by Anthropic on X, a social media platform previously known as Twitter. The company emphasized that only a small fraction of users, less than 5%, would experience noticeable changes under the new plan. The rate limits consist of two components: an overall weekly usage limit and a specific limit for users accessing Claude Opus 4, Anthropic’s most advanced AI model.

Furthermore, existing usage limits that reset every five hours will continue to apply. However, new limits will reset every seven days, and the price plans are adjusted to provide standard usage hours for different subscriber levels. For instance, Max plan subscribers can opt to purchase additional usage beyond the stipulated limits at standard API rates.

In explaining the rationale behind these changes, an Anthropic spokesperson, Amie Rotherham, mentioned that Claude Code has become incredibly popular among developers, resulting in unprecedented demand since its launch. In response to the rising demand and potential service disruptions, Anthropic aims to ensure more reliable service by controlling usage among power users. According to the company, Claude Code has faced multiple partial or major outages in recent months, potentially stemming from some users running the tool incessantly.

The broader AI industry is experiencing similar adjustments, with several companies reconsidering pricing strategies for their AI offerings. Companies offering AI coding tools, such as Anysphere and Replit, have made pricing changes to deter abuse while attempting to maintain fair access among users. In line with these industry trends, Anthropic remains focused on supporting long-term use cases and is committed to providing more options in the future to balance reliable service and computational sustainability.

Sources: Anthropic, TechCrunch, X

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