Anthropic doesn't publish how many messages Claude's Free plan allows, though the plan itself costs nothing. The pricing page says Free has "limited usage" every 5 hours and every week, and that how fast you reach it depends on the model, chat length and file size.
How the limit works
Anthropic's two descriptions differ slightly (checked Nov 8, 2026):
- The Get started article says the free plan has a session-based limit that resets every five hours, that the number of messages "will vary based on demand," and that Claude tells you when you've hit it.
- The pricing page adds a weekly limit to the Free row.
The usage-limits article says a five-hour period starts when you send your first message and resets in full five hours later. Length and complexity of conversations, features used, the model and the effort level all draw on it. It also says Anthropic may change limits at its discretion.
There's also a length limit on how much a single chat can hold; when you reach it, start a new chat.
Free, and what's behind a paid plan
| Free | Pro | Max | Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $0 | $20, or $17 billed annually ($200 up front) | $100 | $200 |
| 5-hour limit | Limited | 1x | 5x Pro | None for verified accounts |
| Weekly limit | Limited | 1x | 5x Pro | 10x Pro |
| Opus | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sonnet and Haiku | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Claude Code | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Research | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Projects | Up to 5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly API credits | No | No | $100 | $200 |
Prices exclude tax and Anthropic says they can change. Max and Ultra are billed monthly only.
Included on Free
The pricing page lists web, desktop and mobile chat, web search, file creation and code execution, memory across conversations, connectors, Artifacts, voice mode, and Claude Design, Slides and Docs. The comparison table also shows skills and desktop extensions as included.
Model training on your chats shows as "Opt-out" for every plan including Free, per the same table.
When you hit the limit
Free users wait for the reset or move to a paid plan; an upgrade's new limits apply right away. Paid plans can also turn on usage credits to keep working past a limit. Chats on the web, desktop and mobile apps share one limit, and you can see your standing under Settings > Usage.
Sources
- Anthropic — Plans & pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Claude Help Center — Get started with Claude (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Claude Help Center — How do usage and length limits work? (checked Nov 8, 2026)