Yes. Anthropic offers a free Claude plan that costs $0 and works on the web, on desktop, and in the iPhone and Android apps. It includes more than basic chat: web search, file creation, memory, and Artifacts are all part of it. The catch is usage. Free accounts get a limited budget that resets every five hours, plus a weekly cap on top.
Everything below comes from Anthropic's pricing page and help center, checked as of November 2026. Anthropic changes plans often, so treat the numbers as a snapshot.
The short answer
- Is Claude free? Yes. The free plan is $0 for anyone in a supported location. You need an account, and Anthropic requires users to be at least 18 (Get started with Claude).
- What's the catch? Limited usage every five hours and every week. Anthropic does not publish a fixed message count.
- Which models do free users get? Sonnet and Haiku. Opus and Fable, Anthropic's top model, need a paid plan.
- What does paying cost? Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month on an annual plan ($200 billed up front). Max is $100 a month and Ultra is $200 a month, before tax.
What the free plan includes
As of November 2026, the Claude pricing page lists the following for the free plan:
| Feature | Included on Free? |
|---|---|
| Chat on web, desktop, iOS, and Android | Yes |
| Web search | Yes |
| Create and edit files, run code | Yes |
| Memory across conversations | Yes |
| Connectors for your apps and tools | Yes |
| Artifacts | Yes |
| Claude Design, Slides, and Docs | Yes |
| Voice mode | Yes |
| Incognito chats | Yes |
| Projects | Up to 5 |
| Research | No |
| Claude Code | No |
| Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365 | No |
| Opus and Fable models | No |
For everyday use, that covers a lot. You can ask questions, draft and edit writing, summarize an uploaded document, get a quick answer with live web results, or build a small interactive Artifact. Free users can also bring memory over from another AI assistant using Claude's memory import feature, according to the help center.
Two things worth knowing before you rely on it. First, the pricing page lists model training as "Opt-out" on Free and on the paid individual plans, so check your privacy settings if you don't want your chats used for training. Second, the free plan can't buy usage credits. That option is only for paid plans, so when a free account runs out, you wait or upgrade.
Message limits and resets
Claude doesn't give free users a set number of messages per day. It uses a usage budget instead, and how far that budget goes depends on what you ask.
- Five-hour session limit. The window starts when you send your first message and resets in full five hours later (usage limits article).
- Weekly limit. The pricing page lists "Limited usage every 5 hours and every week" for Free. Weekly limits reset at a fixed day and time assigned to your account, no matter when you started using Claude.
- Demand-based. Anthropic says the number of messages free users can send "will vary based on demand" and that it may add other limits to keep access fair (Get started with Claude).
Your budget drains faster with long conversations, large files, heavier models, extended thinking, and connected tools. Usage on claude.ai, the desktop app, and the mobile apps all counts toward the same pool. Claude warns you as you get close and tells you when the limit resets. You can check where you stand anytime under Settings > Usage.
Anthropic's own suggestions for stretching your limit:
- Start a new chat instead of extending a very long one. Long chats cost more of your budget.
- Turn off extended thinking and connected apps when a task doesn't need them.
- Ask Claude not to search the web when you don't need current information.
- Pick a lower effort level for routine tasks.
Claude Free vs Pro vs Max vs Ultra
Here is a quick comparison of the four individual plans, based on claude.com/pricing as of November 2026. Prices don't include tax.
| Free | Pro | Max | Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $20/month, or $17/month billed annually | $100/month | $200/month |
| Usage | Limited | At least 5x Free per 5-hour session | 5x Pro | 10x Pro per week, no 5-hour limit for verified accounts |
| Models | Sonnet, Haiku | Adds Opus; Fable paid with usage credits | Fable up to half your weekly limit | Fable up to half your weekly limit |
| Research | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Claude Code | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Projects | Up to 5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Priority access at busy times | No | No | Yes | Yes |
For most people the real decision is Free or Pro. We cover that in detail, including who should upgrade, in Claude Free vs Pro: Is Claude Pro Worth It?. To see how Claude's prices line up against ChatGPT and Gemini, read ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini pricing or the AI pricing comparison.
Free ways to use Claude-class models
If the free limit keeps cutting you off, you have a few options that don't involve a subscription.
Use Claude's free plan more carefully. Save it for the tasks where you like Claude's writing or reasoning best, and keep chats short. The tips above make a noticeable difference.
Spread your work across free assistants. Other major assistants offer free versions too, each with its own limits, so when one runs dry you can switch. See is ChatGPT free, is Gemini free, and is Copilot free, or browse the best free AI chatbots. If you're weighing Claude against other tools, Claude alternatives and ChatGPT vs Claude can help.
Try a free multi-model app. cutGPT is a free AI chat app for iPhone, Android, and the web with no subscription. Ads pay for the AI models, and you can chat with several AI models in one place. It can also import your memory from ChatGPT or Claude. Eligible users earn small promotional rewards that vary and can be cashed out to PayPal; think of them as a bonus, not income. The reward rules are in the platform terms. For a side-by-side look, see cutGPT vs Claude.
Whichever tool you use, check important answers before you act on them. Our guide on how to fact-check AI answers walks through a quick routine.
FAQ
Is Claude AI free to use?
Yes. Claude has a free plan at $0 that includes chat on web, desktop, and mobile, plus web search, file creation, memory, and Artifacts. Usage is limited every five hours and every week.
How many messages can I send on Claude's free plan?
Anthropic doesn't publish a number. Your allowance depends on message length, conversation length, file size, the model, the tools you use, and current demand.
When does the Claude free limit reset?
The session limit resets in full five hours after your first message in that window. The weekly limit resets at a fixed day and time assigned to your account, which you can see in Settings > Usage.
Can I use Claude Opus for free?
No. As of November 2026, the free plan includes Sonnet and Haiku. Opus starts on Pro, and Fable needs usage credits on Pro or comes included on Max and Ultra.
Is Claude Code free?
No. Claude Code is included with paid plans (Pro, Max, Ultra, Team, and Enterprise), not the free plan.
How much is Claude Pro?
$20 a month billed monthly, or $17 a month on an annual plan, which is $200 billed up front. Prices don't include tax.