Claude "Max 20x" Rebranded as Ultra, 5-Hour Limit Removed
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Have you ever been frustrated by hitting Claude's 5-hour limit mid-session? On October 30, 2026, Anthropic changed the names and restrictions of its top-tier plans. This article breaks down what changed and who it affects.
Anthropic announced the plan name changes on its official X account on October 30, 2026 (local time). The news was covered by outlets including ITmedia NEWS.
There are two main changes: names and limits.
The former "Max 5x" is now simply "Max." The monthly price remains $100.
"Max 20x" has been renamed "Ultra." The monthly price remains $200.
Existing subscribers are automatically moved to the new plans with no action required. The Max plan launched on April 9, 2025, and has offered two tiers from the start — "5x Pro" and "20x Pro" (at $100/month and $200/month respectively).
The other key change is the removal of the per-5-hour usage limit for Ultra — specifically for verified accounts.
According to Anthropic, this change took effect for the majority of existing subscribers on the same day. The per-5-hour limit is a mechanism that temporarily throttles usage when a large amount is consumed in a short period.
Here are the three plans listed on Anthropic's pricing page:
Max and Ultra include a perk allowing use of the top-tier model "Fable" up to 50% of the weekly limit. Both plans also come with monthly API credits (which can be applied toward API usage fees): $100 worth for Max, and $200 worth for Ultra.
Many users may wonder why the "20x" figure has disappeared. The new Ultra is described as "10× Pro per week."
ITmedia NEWS explains that the old "20x" referred to usage measured in 5-hour increments, while the new "10x" is measured weekly. Since the measurement basis differs, the numbers cannot be directly compared — it doesn't necessarily mean a reduction.
FourWeekMBA independently calculated that Pro, Max, and Ultra all come out to $20 per "one Pro week's worth" of usage, noting that the per-week unit cost is the same across all plans.
The removal of the 5-hour limit only applies to verified Ultra accounts. Relatively new accounts may retain a temporary restriction until verification is complete. Anthropic describes this as a measure to prevent abuse.
Verification is performed automatically based on account history, payment history, and similar factors. No action is required on your part. You will receive an email notification once the restriction is lifted.
You can check whether your account is verified by going to the "Usage" screen in Settings. If there is no "Current session" progress bar displayed, your account is verified. However, details such as what percentage of users are verified or how long new accounts must wait are not publicly available.
Who is Ultra best suited for? Consider three scenarios.
First, engineers who spend hours writing large programs with Claude Code. Concentrating work in the afternoon used to mean hitting the 5-hour limit and having to stop. With Ultra, verified users no longer need to worry about that.
Second, consultants who produce large volumes of research materials every week. Even if daily usage is high, as long as the weekly total stays within 10× Pro, there's no problem. That said, the weekly limit still applies — heavy users can still be cut off mid-week.
Third, freelance writers who use Claude for a few hours several times a week. In this case, Max — or even Pro — should suffice. If you rarely hit the 5-hour limit, the extra $100 for Ultra is unlikely to be worth it.
As a rule of thumb, Ultra is for people whose weekly total is fine but who are regularly stopped by the 5-hour cap. Conversely, if your problem is hitting the weekly limit, Ultra won't fundamentally solve that.
Other AI providers also offer top-tier plans at around $200/month. ChatGPT Pro, for example, has been reported to be available at $200/month.
Google's AI Ultra has seen several reported price and configuration changes in 2026, with conflicting information in circulation. Be sure to check each provider's official pricing page before subscribing.
When comparing plans, it's important to look beyond the monthly price and understand what the limits are and how they're measured. Claude used a two-layer system — per 5-hour window and per week. Ultra removes the 5-hour layer while leaving the weekly layer in place.
The same changes apply in Japan. According to Business+IT, the Japan-facing pricing page also states that Max offers "5× Pro usage per 5-hour window and per week," while Ultra offers "10× Pro per week with no 5-hour limit for verified accounts."
Note that displayed prices do not include tax. Payments in Japanese yen are subject to exchange rate fluctuations, so your monthly cost may vary.
For Japanese companies considering giving all members of a development team an Ultra subscription, the cost may feel steep. In that case, a practical approach is to assign Ultra only to high-usage members and keep others on Max or Pro.
No. Max remains $100/month and Ultra remains $200/month.
No. Existing subscribers are automatically migrated to the new plans.
No. Only the per-5-hour limit has been removed. The weekly limit remains as before.
Yes. Max applies 5× Pro usage limits both per 5-hour window and per week.
Not necessarily. New accounts may face temporary restrictions until verification is complete.
Start by opening the "Usage" screen in your settings to check whether your account is already verified.
This article is a cross-post from AI Friends.
