The short answer
Ultra is the plan that used to be called Max 20x: existing Max 20x subscribers moved to it automatically, with no price change. It includes ten times the Pro plan's usage every week and, on verified accounts, has no five-hour limit: only a weekly limit across all models and a separate weekly limit for Fable (Anthropic's help center).
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| Plan | Five-hour limit | Weekly usage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | Yes, resets every five hours (help center) | A weekly limit across all models (help center) | $20 per month in the US (help center) |
| Max | Yes, with five times the Pro plan's usage every five hours (help center) | Five times the Pro plan's usage every week, plus a separate weekly limit for Fable (help center) | $100 per month (help center) |
| Ultra | None on verified accounts; a temporary limit until the account is verified (help center) | Ten times the Pro plan's usage every week, plus a separate weekly limit for Fable (help center) | $200 per month on the web, monthly only (help center) |
Anthropic doesn't publish a number of messages for any plan; Settings > Usage shows progress bars instead (Usage limit best practices). Every limit on this page and how it resets is in Claude usage limits explained.
No five-hour limit, on verified accounts
Anthropic verifies Ultra accounts automatically, using factors like your account and payment history, and verified accounts don't have a five-hour limit. Until your account is verified, a temporary limit applies; it is removed automatically, so there is nothing you need to do. Verifying your phone number at checkout is a separate step and doesn't remove it (What is the Ultra plan?).
To check, open Settings > Usage on claude.ai: if you don't see a Current session bar, your account is verified (same article).
The weekly limit is the one that counts
Ultra has a weekly usage limit that applies across all models and a separate weekly limit for Fable (What is the Ultra plan?). Both reset once a week (Manage usage credits). Without a five-hour window to slow you down, the weekly limit is the one you can run out of.
Fable is a standard part of Ultra: you can use up to 50% of your weekly usage limits on Fable models at no extra cost, and they use your limits faster than other Claude models (Claude Fable models on your plan). How that share works is in Claude Fable usage limits.
Anthropic may also limit usage in other ways to manage capacity, such as weekly and monthly caps or limits on certain models and features (What is the Ultra plan?).
When you reach a limit on Ultra
- Turn on usage credits. After your weekly limit or your Fable weekly limit, your requests can continue at standard API rates until your monthly spend limit or your prepaid balance runs out (Manage usage credits for paid Claude plans).
- Use a limit reset, if your account has one. On Ultra it sets your weekly usage limits back to full (What is the Ultra plan?).
- Wait for the weekly reset. Settings > Usage shows when it comes (Usage limit best practices).
What each limit message says, and what it means: Claude usage limit reached.
Claude Code on Ultra
Claude Code shares your Ultra limits with Claude: everything you do in both counts against the same weekly limit and Fable limit (Use Claude Code with your Pro, Max, or Ultra plan). Because verified Ultra accounts have no five-hour limit, the wrap-up allowance that lets Claude Code finish a step after the session limit doesn't apply to them (same article). More on Claude Code usage limits.
How to keep track of your Ultra usage
Settings > Usage on claude.ai shows your weekly limits, for all models and for Fable, and your usage credits (Usage limit best practices). Step by step: how to check your Claude usage.
Claude Monitor, a free extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, reads the same usage data that page shows and keeps it in your toolbar: the weekly limit with a countdown to its reset, the Fable cap, and desktop alerts at 80% and 95% for both. When your week is filling fast enough to run out before it resets, it estimates roughly when you will hit the limit. Your usage data stays in your browser: no account, no analytics, no telemetry (privacy policy).
Questions
Is Claude Ultra the same as Max 20x?
Yes. The Max 20x plan is now called the Ultra plan, and existing Max 20x subscribers moved to it automatically, with no price change (What is the Ultra plan?).
Does Claude Ultra have a five-hour limit?
Not on verified accounts. Anthropic verifies Ultra accounts automatically, using factors like account and payment history; until then a temporary limit applies (What is the Ultra plan?).
How do I know if my Ultra account is verified?
Open Settings > Usage on claude.ai. If you don't see a Current session bar, your account is verified (What is the Ultra plan?).
How much usage does Claude Ultra include?
Ten times the Pro plan's usage every week, with a weekly limit across all models and a separate weekly limit for Fable (What is the Ultra plan?). For comparison, Max includes five times the Pro plan's usage every five hours and every week (What is the Max plan?).
How much does Claude Ultra cost?
$200 per month for web subscriptions; mobile pricing may vary by app platform, and Ultra is a monthly subscription only (What is the Ultra plan?).
Can I keep using Claude after reaching the weekly limit on Ultra?
Yes, with usage credits enabled: your requests continue at standard API rates until your monthly spend limit or your prepaid balance runs out (Manage usage credits for paid Claude plans). Otherwise, wait for the weekly reset.