Anthropic Limits OpenClaw with Claude Starting April 4

Anthropic Modifies Access to OpenClaw via Claude

Starting from April 4 at 3:00 PM ET, Claude subscribers will need to pay separately to use third-party tools like OpenClaw. This new policy, announced via email to users, imposes a pay-per-use billing for OpenClaw, separate from the Claude subscription.

Peter Steinberger, creator of OpenClaw and now an employee at OpenAI, attempted to negotiate with Anthropic. However, the only compromise reached was a one-week postponement of this decision.

New Details on Anthropic's Policy

According to Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code at Anthropic, starting tomorrow at 12 PM PT, Claude subscriptions will no longer cover access to third-party tools like OpenClaw. Users will still be able to use these tools through additional usage bundles or a Claude API key.

Anthropic clarified that this decision responds to a growing demand for Claude and that their subscriptions were not designed for these usage models. They are managing their capacity thoughtfully, prioritizing customers who use their products and APIs.

Subscribers will receive a one-time credit equivalent to the cost of their monthly plan. For those needing more resources, discounted usage bundles are now available. A link to request a full refund will be included in the email sent to users.

Anthropic aims to manage its growth intentionally to continue serving its customers sustainably in the long term. This change is a step towards that goal.

Consequences for OpenClaw

OpenClaw, which gained popularity earlier this year for its ability to handle various tasks such as email management, calendar scheduling, and flight bookings, is putting pressure on Anthropic's infrastructure. In response, Anthropic is offering a one-time credit to subscribers, but this measure could redirect users towards Anthropic's internal tools, such as Claude Cowork.