Anthropic has rolled out a new premium subscription plan for its Claude AI chatbot called Claude Max, targeting users who want expanded access to advanced AI capabilities. Starting at $100 per month and going up to $200, the new plan is a direct response to OpenAI’s $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro tier. It offers significantly higher usage limits and early access to Anthropic’s most powerful AI models.
Claude Max is available in two pricing options. The $100 plan includes five times the usage limits of the standard $20 Claude Pro subscription. Meanwhile, the $200 plan provides 20 times the rate limits, making it ideal for researchers, developers, and enterprise teams who rely on AI for heavy workloads. These upgraded tiers reflect a broader push by AI companies to monetize power users while funding expensive AI development.
Although Anthropic hasn’t shared how many users have subscribed so far, the company noted that demand spiked after the launch of Claude 3.7 Sonnet, its first reasoning model. This version uses more compute to deliver better, more reliable answers—especially in complex tasks that require step-by-step reasoning. The release of this model has helped drive adoption of higher-tier subscriptions like Claude Max.
Flexible Pricing Tiers, But No Unlimited Plan Yet
Unlike OpenAI’s ChatGPT Pro, which includes unlimited usage, Claude Max is still bound by rate limits, even at the top tier. However, Anthropic hasn’t ruled out introducing an unlimited option or even pricier plans in the future. According to its product team, new offerings could reach $500 per month or more, depending on how users respond to existing options. User feedback will remain central to shaping the company’s subscription roadmap.
At this time, the company appears to be exploring multiple revenue streams beyond consumer plans. One of those is Claude for Education, a version tailored for universities and academic institutions. This initiative delivers AI features built specifically for educational environments and reflects Anthropic’s effort to create diversified, long-term income sources.
Anthropic Bets Big on Claude Max for Growth
With competition heating up in the AI space, Anthropic is betting that premium pricing will help it stand out. The success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Pro, which reportedly boosted annualized revenue by $300 million within months, shows just how effective these models can be when marketed to high-intensity users. Claude Max could provide a similar revenue lift, fueling Anthropic’s continued development of frontier AI models.
For now, Claude Max positions the company as a serious competitor in the premium AI subscription space. With scalable pricing, academic tools, and advanced models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet leading the way, Anthropic is laying the groundwork for lasting growth and deeper enterprise adoption.
