Introduction

Want to use Claude Code but unsure which plan to choose? Wondering about the differences between Pro, Max 5x, and Max 20x? This article provides a comprehensive comparison of all Claude Code plans and explains how to choose the best plan for your needs.

Claude Code Pricing Plans Overview

Basic 3 Plans

• Pro: $20/month (minimum 45 messages per 5 hours)
• Max 5x: $100/month (minimum 225 messages per 5 hours)
• Max 20x: $200/month (minimum 900 messages per 5 hours)

Free Plan

Important: Claude Code does not have a free plan. At minimum, the Pro plan ($20/month) is required.

Detailed Plan Breakdown

Pro Plan ($20/month)

Basic Specifications

• Monthly fee: $20 (approximately ¥3,000)
• Usage limit: Minimum 45 messages per 5 hours
• Prompt equivalent: Approximately 10-40 prompts per 5 hours
• Available models: Opus 4, Sonnet 4.5, Haiku 4

Real-World Usage

For 2-3 hours of development per day:

• Average 10-20 prompts/day
• 50-100 prompts/week with 5 days of use
• Pro plan is sufficient

Recommended For

• First-time Claude Code users
• 2-3 hours of use per day, 3-4 days per week
• Individual developers looking to minimize costs

Pro Plan Limitations

• Easy to reach limits (insufficient for large-scale development)
• Automatic model switching (Opus 4 → Sonnet 4 at 20% usage)
• Not suitable for continuous large-scale work

Max 5x Plan ($100/month)

Basic Specifications

• Monthly fee: $100 (approximately ¥15,000)
• Usage limit: Minimum 225 messages per 5 hours
• Prompt equivalent: Approximately 50-200 prompts per 5 hours
• Comparison to Pro: About 5x processing capacity

Real-World Usage

For 6-8 hours of development per day:

• Average 40-80 prompts/day
• 200-400 prompts/week with 5 days of use
• Max 5x handles this comfortably

Recommended For

• Serious individual developers
• Daily heavy Claude Code usage
• Frequently hitting Pro plan limits
• Medium-scale projects (1-2 person development)
• Freelancers and side-project engineers

Max 5x Features

• Model switching: Opus 4 → Sonnet 4 at 20% usage
• Well-balanced: Optimal cost-performance ratio
• Ideal for many users

Max 20x Plan ($200/month)

Basic Specifications

• Monthly fee: $200 (approximately ¥30,000)
• Usage limit: Minimum 900 messages per 5 hours
• Prompt equivalent: Approximately 200-800 prompts per 5 hours
• Comparison to Pro: About 20x processing capacity

Real-World Usage

For 8-10 hours of development per day:

• Average 100-300 prompts/day
• 500-1,500 prompts/week with 5 days of use
• Max 20x handles this with room to spare

Recommended For

• Heavy users (10+ hours daily)
• Team development (shared by 3-5 people)
• Large-scale projects
• GitHub Actions integration (CI/CD automation)

Max 20x Features

• Model switching: Opus 4 → Sonnet 4 at 50% usage
• Extended Opus 4 access: Maintain high-quality development support longer
• Best cost-performance (for team use)

Plan Selection Flowchart

Step 1: Check Usage Frequency

• 1-2 days/week, 1-2 hours/day → Pro Plan ($20/month)
• 3-5 days/week, 2-4 hours/day → Max 5x Plan ($100/month)
• Daily, 6+ hours/day → Max 20x Plan ($200/month)

Step 2: Check Team Size

• Individual use → Judge by usage frequency above
• 2-3 people → Share Max 20x Plan ($66-100/person/month)
• 4+ people → Individual Pro contracts ($20/person/month)

Step 3: Check Budget

• Up to $20/month → Pro Plan
• Up to $100/month → Max 5x Plan
• Up to $200/month → Max 20x Plan (especially for teams)

Real Usage Examples and Costs

Individual Developer A (Pro Plan)

Usage

• Frequency: 4 days/week, 2-3 hours/day
• Main use: Web app development, bug fixes
• Monthly prompts: Approximately 150-200 prompts
• Monthly cost: $20

Review"For weekend-focused use, Pro is sufficient. Occasionally hit limits, but the 5-hour reset works fine"

Freelancer B (Max 5x Plan)

Usage

• Frequency: Daily, 6-8 hours/day
• Main use: Multiple client projects
• Monthly prompts: Approximately 800-1,000 prompts
• Monthly cost: $100

Review"Pro was completely insufficient. Max 5x made it comfortable. Can now handle multiple projects in parallel"

Startup C (Max 20x Plan, 3-person shared)

Usage

• Frequency: Daily, 4-6 hours per member
• Main use: SaaS development, code reviews
• Monthly prompts: Approximately 2,000-3,000 prompts
• Monthly cost: $200 ($66.67 per person)

Review"Even shared among 3 people, there's plenty of capacity. Much more cost-effective than individual Pro contracts"

Model Auto-Switching Comparison

Switching Timing

• Pro: Opus 4 available for 0-20% of usage
• Max 5x: Opus 4 available for 0-20% of usage
• Max 20x: Opus 4 available for 0-50% of usage

Actual Impact

Pro Plan

• 45 messages per 5 hours
• Opus 4: First 9 messages only
• Sonnet 4: From 10th message onward
• Effectively: Only 2-4 prompts with Opus 4

Max 20x Plan

• 900 messages per 5 hours
• Opus 4: First 450 messages
• Sonnet 4: From 451st message onward
• Effectively: 100-200 prompts available with Opus 4

Important: Max 20x is ideal for quality-focused development as it allows extended use of the high-performance Opus 4 model.

How to Change Plans

Upgrading

Pro → Max 5x → Max 20x

• Available anytime, prorated billing for difference

Downgrading

Max 20x → Max 5x → Pro

• Applied from next month, current plan continues until month-end

Steps

1. Log in to Claude.ai
2. Open account settings
3. Select "Change Plan"
4. Choose desired plan
5. Confirm payment information

Cost Reduction Techniques

Optimize Plan Selection

Start with Pro → Track usage → Upgrade as needed

Use /compact Command

Periodically compress long conversations to reduce token count

Concise Prompts

Avoid verbose instructions, keep prompts clear and concise

Combine with Other Tools

• Daily completion: GitHub Copilot ($10/month)
• Complex tasks: Claude Code Pro ($20/month)
• Total: $30/month for the ultimate setup

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What if Pro Plan isn't enough?

You can upgrade to Max 5x immediately. The difference is prorated.

Q2: Is Max 20x too expensive for individuals?

It's very cost-effective for heavy users or team sharing. Pro or Max 5x is recommended for light individual use.

Q3: Can I change plans multiple times?

There's no limit on changes. You can change anytime.

Q4: When does the 5-hour limit reset?

It resets every 5 hours from your first usage. Not at a fixed time.

Q5: Which plan is most popular?

Individual developers often choose Pro or Max 5x, while teams prefer Max 20x.

Summary: How to Choose the Best Plan

Choose Pro Plan ($20/month) if you are:

• New to Claude Code
• Using 2-3 hours/day, 3-4 days/week
• An individual developer looking to minimize costs

Choose Max 5x Plan ($100/month) if you are:

• A serious developer using Claude Code daily
• Frequently hitting Pro limits
• Working on medium-scale projects

Choose Max 20x Plan ($200/month) if you are:

• A heavy user (8+ hours/day)
• Sharing among 3-5 team members
• Working on large-scale projects or complex tasks
• Wanting constant access to high-performance model (Opus 4)

Best Practice

Starting with the Pro Plan ($20/month) is most recommended.

Use it for one month to understand your usage, then upgrade to Max 5x or Max 20x if needed.

For team use, consider Max 20x from the start. Shared among 3 people at $66.67/person/month, it's far more cost-effective than individual contracts.

Choose the optimal plan based on your development style and budget.