The short answer
Claude limits how much you can use it with two main windows: a rolling 5-hour session and a weekly limit shared by all models. Some plans add a separate weekly cap for specific models, and paid plans can keep going on extra usage credits once a limit is reached. Each limit resets on its own schedule, which is why it is easy to hit one by surprise.
The four kinds of limit
| Limit | What it is | When it resets | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-hour session | A rolling window that starts with your first message and resets five hours later. | Every 5 hours from when it starts | All plans |
| Weekly limit | One pool shared by every model you use, Claude Code included on Pro and Max. | On its own 7-day schedule, not a fixed weekday | All plans |
| Per-model weekly cap | A separate weekly cap for a model Anthropic limits on its own. Models without one count only against the weekly limit. | With its own weekly window | Paid plans, when the model has one |
| Extra usage credits | Pay-as-you-go spend that lets you keep working after a limit, up to a monthly spend limit you set. | Spend resets at the start of each month | Paid plans, if enabled |
The session and weekly limits are independent: you can have session headroom and still be blocked by the weekly limit, or the other way round. The weekly limit is usually the one that ends a heavy week.
How the 5-hour session works
The session window opens with your first message and closes five hours later, whatever you do in between. When it resets, usage for the next window starts from zero and the window only opens again with your next message. Long conversations, large attachments and stronger models use more of the window per message.
How the weekly limit works
The weekly limit is one pool shared by every model, and on Pro and Max plans Claude Code draws from it too. It runs on a rolling 7-day schedule of its own, so it does not reset on a fixed day of the week; the reset date shown for your account is the one that counts. Models that Anthropic caps separately also have their own weekly window, and use counts against both that cap and the shared weekly limit.
Checking your usage on each plan
| Plan | claude.ai/settings/usage | Claude Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No: the usage page has been empty for Free accounts since August 2026 | Yes, read from each reply with the optional bar |
| Pro | Yes | Yes |
| Max 5x / Max 20x | Yes | Yes |
| Team / Enterprise | Yes | Yes, with the active organization detected automatically |
Claude shows usage as percentages rather than message counts, because the cost of a message depends on its length, attachments and model. If you are on the Free plan, see how to see your Claude usage limits on the Free plan. To choose a tracker, see Claude usage trackers compared.
Questions
How long does it take for the Claude usage limit to reset?
The session limit resets five hours after the window started, which is usually five hours after your first message in it. The weekly limit resets on its own 7-day schedule. The exact reset time for each is shown at claude.ai/settings/usage on paid plans, and Claude Monitor shows a live countdown for every limit.
What happens when I hit a Claude usage limit?
You cannot send more messages that count against that limit until it resets. On paid plans with extra usage enabled, Claude can keep working on credits until you reach your monthly spend limit.
Does Claude Code count against my Claude usage limit?
Yes. On Pro and Max plans, Claude Code draws from the same session and weekly limits as chat on claude.ai, so heavy coding sessions use up the same pool.
How much usage does each Claude plan include?
Anthropic does not publish fixed message or token counts; it describes higher plans as multiples of Pro (for example Max 5x and Max 20x), and the amount a message uses depends on its length, attachments and model. That is why the usage page shows percentages instead of counts.
Where can I see my Claude usage?
On paid plans, at claude.ai/settings/usage. To keep it in view without opening that page, Claude Monitor shows the same limits in your browser toolbar and, optionally, right above the chat box. On the Free plan the usage page is empty, but the extension can still read your limits from each reply.