Claude: what it does, what it costs, where it struggles
Anthropic's assistant for writing, thinking and work, which on paid plans can also use a browser and a computer to finish jobs.
- Made by
- Anthropic
- Kind
- general assistant
- Free to try
- Free plan with limits
- Where
- web, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows desktop apps, Chrome extension
What it does
Claude chats, writes, reads long documents and files, and connects to apps such as email and calendars through connectors. It remembers things between chats.
Since September 2026, Cowork and chat are one Claude: you can hand off a job and schedule tasks, and they keep running in the cloud with your laptop closed. Anthropic is rolling this out to Pro, Max and Ultra. Computer use is a research preview.
Claude in Chrome, on all paid plans, lets Claude click, type and fill in forms in your own Chrome browser. Claude also has its own built-in browser.
Main features
- Chat, writing and long-document reading
- Connectors to apps like email and calendar
- Memory across chats
- Hand off and schedule tasks that run in the cloud (paid plans)
- Claude in Chrome: acts in your browser (paid plans)
- Computer use (research preview)
- Claude Code for programming (paid plans)
What it costs
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited use every 5 hours and each week; memory and connectors |
| Pro | $17/month billed yearly ($200 up front) or $20 month to month | Claude in Chrome, Claude Code, hand off and schedule tasks |
| Max | $100/month | 5x Pro usage; includes $100 a month in API credits |
| Ultra | $200/month | 10x Pro weekly usage, no 5-hour limit for verified accounts; $200 a month in API credits |
| Team | Standard seat $20/seat/month yearly or $25 monthly; premium seat $100 yearly or $125 monthly | For teams |
| Enterprise | $20/seat/month billed yearly plus usage at API rates | 20-seat minimum |
Who it's for
- People who write, read and think through long documents
- Small businesses that want handed-off tasks to keep running in the background
- People who want an assistant that can act in their own Chrome browser
Where it struggles
- Usage runs on a 5-hour window plus a weekly limit, and Anthropic says limits can change (Claude support: usage limits).
- Cowork-style tasks use up your limits faster than plain chat (Claude Cowork page).
- Anthropic tells users of Claude in Chrome to avoid banking and sites with sensitive logins, and warns of hidden instructions on web pages (Claude in Chrome page).
- Browser, scheduled tasks and Claude Code are not on the Free plan.
- Computer use is still a research preview, and the merged Claude is still rolling out.
At a glance
| Claude | |
|---|---|
| What it is | Anthropic's assistant for writing, thinking and work, which on paid plans can also use a browser and a computer to finish jobs. |
| Price | Free: $0; Pro: $17/month billed yearly ($200 up front) or $20 month to month; Max: $100/month |
| Free to try | Free plan with limits |
| Does the task itself | yes on paid plans it acts in Chrome and its own browser and runs handed-off tasks; Free mostly answers and drafts |
| Its own email address | no it can work in your connected email, but has no address of its own |
| You can text it | no no official SMS, iMessage or WhatsApp number |
| Its own computer and browser | partly handed-off tasks keep running in the cloud; Claude in Chrome uses your own browser |
| Remembers you | Remembers things across chats, including on the Free plan |
| Where it lives | web, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows desktop apps, Chrome extension |
How it compares
If you want an assistant that does the work itself rather than helping you do it, see how Claude stacks up: ChatGPT vs Claude.
Listed in: The best AI agents in 2026, for people who aren't engineers, The best ChatGPT alternatives in 2026.
Questions people ask
- Is Claude free?
- Yes, with limited use every 5 hours and each week. Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month paid yearly.
- Can Claude use my browser?
- Yes, on paid plans. Claude in Chrome can click, type and fill in forms; Anthropic advises keeping it away from banking and sensitive logins.
- What happened to Claude Cowork?
- In September 2026 Anthropic merged Cowork into Claude itself, so you can hand off and schedule tasks from the same app.
Checked 2026-11-08 on Anthropic's own pages: Plans & pricing | Claude, Claude in Chrome, Claude Cowork, Claude Cowork and chat are now one Claude, How do usage and length limits work? (Claude support), Usage limit best practices (Claude support). Prices change; check the maker's pricing page before you buy.
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