The $200 tier exists for people whose hour is worth more than the difference. That is a smaller group than the pricing page suggests, and most people should start one tier down.
| Tier | Per month | Usage | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $20, or $17 annual | Baseline allowance | One developer, chat plus agent |
| Max 5x | $100 | Five times Pro | All-day agent work |
| Max 20x | $200 | Twenty times Pro | Several agents in parallel, all day |
The limit is shared
On Anthropic's plans, Claude Code draws from the same allowance as chat. A long agent session and a long conversation are the same budget, so the tier you need depends on total use, not on which tool you like.
That is why the tiers are priced in multiples rather than in features. There is nothing to unlock; there is only more room.
Measure before you upgrade
Run for one week on the tier below and count the times you hit the limit. Once is a busy day. Five times is a pattern, and the upgrade is cheaper than the interruptions.
If you never hit it, the higher tier buys you nothing you can point at.
Annual pricing is a commitment
Pro is $20 monthly or $17 on the annual plan, about fifteen per cent off. Take the annual price after a month of monthly billing, not before — you need to know your real usage first, and the discount does not compound with a plan you outgrow in six weeks.
The honest answer for most people
Start at $20. Move up when the limits cost you more than $80 of your own time in a month. For a solo developer, that is a higher bar than it sounds.