Claude Pricing 2026 — Pro, Max, API, Enterprise Explained
Anthropic sells Claude in four tiers: two consumer subscriptions (Pro, Max), one developer rate (API, pay-per-token), and two business tiers (Team, Enterprise). The right choice depends on whether you use Claude as an individual, integrate it as a developer, or buy for a team. Here all prices compact, including the details for German companies.
Claude Pro — €20/month
The entry subscription for claude.ai. Unlimited access to Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.7 with limited messages per 5-hour window (about 45 Opus messages). Claude Code is usable in Pro, but you hit limits fast with heavy use. Projects feature, desktop app, mobile apps included. Right starting point for occasional users and learners — cancel anytime. Price: €20/month (net).
Claude Max — €100/month
The power user tier. About 5–20x more Opus messages than Pro (depending on usage pattern and load), priority access during overload, full Claude Code use across longer sessions. Anyone using Claude Code all day hits sensible limits with Max. There's also a €200 Max tier with even higher limits, worth it for professional agent setups. For B2B single-person use Max is the sweet spot; at two or more users, switch to Claude for Work.
Anthropic API — pay per token
For developers integrating Claude into their product. Billed per consumed token, not per subscription. Current indicative prices per 1M tokens (input / output): Opus 4.7 — $15 / $75. Sonnet 4.6 — $3 / $15. Haiku 4.5 — $0.80 / $4. With prompt caching (50–90% discount on reused contexts) and Batch API (50% discount for async jobs) you can significantly reduce the effective price. Billed in USD via the Anthropic console or through Amazon Bedrock / Google Vertex AI with their own billing.
Claude for Work — Team & Enterprise
Two business tiers: Team (about €25–30/user/month, minimum 5 seats) gives shared projects, admin dashboard, central billing. Enterprise (custom pricing, from ~€60/user/month) adds SSO, audit logs, longer context windows, higher rate limits and DPA. Enterprise is the right tier when GDPR/DPA is formally required or when multiple departments work in parallel. We work through concrete contract templates in our EU AI Act Compliance Workshop.
What's worth it for whom?
Individual trying Claude out: Pro for 3–6 months. Individual using Claude Code seriously: Max. Developer integrating Claude into a product: API, pay-per-token, with prompt caching. Small team (2–10 people): Team tier. Company with compliance requirements, SSO obligation or 10+ users: Enterprise. In doubt: the SixSides Academy retainer (€490/month) gives you a 90-minute consultation per month where our team sizes the right tier combination for your use case.
FAQ
Can I expense Claude Pro as a business?
Yes — you get an invoice with VAT. For two or more users Claude for Work Team is cleaner legally: central billing, SSO option, no mixing of private and business use.
What does Claude Code cost?
Claude Code itself is free, you just need a Claude subscription (Pro/Max) or API access to use it. Pro is enough for 1–2 hours daily, Max for all-day intensive use. For teams, API usage via claude-code with a central key is worth it.
Is there a free Claude tier?
Yes, claude.ai has a free tier with limited messages on Sonnet 4.6. Enough to try, not for productive work. The API has no free tier, but new accounts get up to $5 starting credit.
Can I switch between Pro and Max?
Anytime. Upgrade takes effect immediately (prorated), downgrade at end of current billing period. No contract term, no surcharge.
Which subscription do I need for German content?
For language quality the tier choice is irrelevant — all models are multilingual at the same level. What matters is usage volume: Pro for occasional writing, Max for sustained content production.