Anthropic Targeted by a Lawsuit Over Max Plan Limits

Customers represented by two former FTC officials are suing Anthropic for misleading advertising regarding the usage caps of the Max subscription. The plaintiffs claim they paid $100 or $200 for "5x" and "20x" multipliers that actually apply per five-hour sessions with a weekly quota. Anthropic argues that this information was available through links at the time of purchase.

An Expanded Lawsuit Filed by Two Former FTC Officials

An expanded class action lawsuit has been filed by subscribers of Claude against Anthropic, led by attorneys Monica Vaca and Kati Daffan, who previously worked at the Federal Trade Commission under Lina Khan. The initial complaint was filed in July, then withdrawn and refiled in this expanded format. Monica Vaca notes that, with a combined 38 years at the FTC alongside Daffan, there are numerous precedents regarding false advertising, and it is illegal to lie when marketing a product.

What the Plaintiffs Say They Bought and What They Claim They Received

The Max plan is a premium version of the $20 Pro plan and comes in two options: $100 per month for "5x" the usage limits of Pro or $200 for "20x." According to the complaint, these multipliers, displayed in marketing graphics, are only guaranteed for five-hour sessions, with a weekly cap, which would represent a lower capacity increase than customers expected. Monica Vaca explains that understanding these restrictions requires clicking on two hyperlinks to find the term "session" and consulting the detailed definition on the Pro plan page. Online complaints have emerged: a Reddit user believes that the weekly allocation is what the pricing page suggests is being purchased, while the five-hour rolling window actually limits usage, comparing the situation to a pump that only delivers one gallon every five hours despite a larger tank.

Anthropic's Defense: The Details Were Clickable

In a motion to dismiss the previous case, Anthropic argues that it did not omit session limits in its marketing. The company claims that the information was accessible via hyperlinks available during the purchasing process, comparing this approach to returning a product to read the label on the back. Anthropic did not respond to a request for comment.

"Power Users" Highlighted and Usage Frustrations

Anthropic considers power users essential to its business, even prioritizing them over other applications like OpenClaw. However, subscribers of the Max plan, priced between $100 and $200 per month, claim they are not receiving what they thought they were paying for. Monica Vaca reports that customers upgrade to a higher plan mid-project to exceed limits, only to feel frustrated after payment, believing they are not benefiting from the expected increase in usage.

Cost Pressures, Max Plan Timeline, and Reference to Fable 5.1

Over the past eight months, it has been common for AI users to express dissatisfaction with the significant operational costs passed on by major labs. Anthropic unveiled the Max plan in April 2025 and then instituted weekly caps in August, amid competition with OpenAI. During the presentation of its Fable 5.1 model, the company mentioned that it had incorporated feedback regarding pricing. Monica Vaca indicates that some feel pressured to subscribe to expensive plans to avoid becoming obsolete in their profession, but believe the service does not meet their expectations, which is deemed disappointing for a service priced between $100 and $200 monthly. She argues that it is not the consumer's responsibility to search for terms on the website and characterizes the approach as unfair under the principle of "buyer beware." According to her, consumers should be able to rely on the seller's claims, have no means to audit what they will receive, and take a risk when subscribing.