Anthropic Faces Lawsuit Over Allegedly Misleading Claude AI Pricing

Anthropic is dealing with a category motion lawsuit alleging the AI firm misled clients in regards to the quantity of utilization included with its premium Claude Max subscription plans.

The grievance, filed June 14 within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Northern District of California by buyer Karl Kahn, seeks to signify different Claude subscribers who bought the corporate’s Max plans and alleges Anthropic misled clients in regards to the quantity of utilization included with its premium subscription tiers.

Within the lawsuit, Kahn mentioned he subscribed to Claude Professional in June 2025 earlier than upgrading to Max 5x in January, and Max 20x in April of this yr. Kahn alleges that he overpaid for each subscriptions, acquired much less utilization than Anthropic marketed, and at occasions bought extra utilization after reaching plan limits.

In response to Vaca Daffan LLP Founding Accomplice Kati Daffan, who’s representing Kahn, the case is rooted in established shopper safety legal guidelines that prohibit firms from deceptive customers in regards to the services and products they promote.



“It is a actually good kind of case for a category motion, as a result of the regulation could be very clear that firms should be sincere about their promoting and advertising and marketing,” Daffan informed Decrypt. “If they don’t seem to be, they are often held liable, want to vary their methods, and refund cash to folks. Civil actions like this are introduced day by day towards firms that misrepresent one thing about their services or products.”

Anthropic affords a number of subscription tiers for particular person customers, from a free plan with restricted utilization to its paid Professional and Max plans. Its Professional plan prices $20 per 30 days or $200 per yr and is meant for normal customers, whereas Max is aimed toward clients who use Claude extra closely.

Max 5x prices $100 per 30 days and is marketed as offering 5 occasions the Professional plan’s utilization capability per session. Max 20x prices $200 per 30 days and is marketed as offering 20 occasions the Professional plan’s utilization capability per session. Anthropic says Max subscribers additionally obtain precedence entry to new fashions and options, entry to Claude Code, and better utilization limits meant to scale back interruptions throughout longer workflows.

The grievance alleges Anthropic didn’t clearly clarify how utilization was measured, making it tough for subscribers to find out whether or not they have been receiving the quantity of entry promised underneath the Max plans.

In response to Daffan, the shortage of transparency might assist clarify why no comparable lawsuits had beforehand been filed, arguing that customers have been left with out the data wanted to confirm whether or not they have been receiving the marketed degree of service.

“It is actually not straightforward for a traditional shopper to know in the event that they’re getting the quantity they have been promised, or if they don’t seem to be, as a result of that data merely is not offered,” she mentioned. “So you may see lots of people expressing on Reddit and different boards that they really feel they won’t have acquired what they have been promised, however it took lots of connecting the dots and work to piece collectively what was truly happening right here.”

The lawsuit seeks damages, restitution, injunctive and declaratory reduction, attorneys’ charges, and prices, and asks the courtroom to certify a category motion on behalf of all U.S. residents who bought or upgraded to a Claude Max 5x or Max 20x subscription by way of Claude.com or the Claude desktop app between April 9, 2025, and the current.

Anthropic didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by Decrypt.

The Claude maker just isn’t alone in advertising and marketing premium AI subscriptions based mostly on larger utilization limits. OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity all supply plans that price between $100 and $200 per 30 days, promising expanded entry to superior AI fashions and elevated utilization allowances.

The lawsuit comes days after Anthropic launched Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5, its most superior AI fashions thus far. Mythos 5 was restricted to accepted cybersecurity organizations, crucial infrastructure operators, authorities companions, and chosen researchers, whereas Fable 5 was launched for broader public use with extra safeguards.

The rollout shortly drew criticism from some customers and builders over utilization limits, “invisible safeguards,” and restrictions, and the mannequin’s tendency to eat subscription allowances extra shortly than earlier Claude fashions. Days later, the U.S. authorities ordered Anthropic to droop entry to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for international nationals, citing nationwide safety issues associated to a possible jailbreak vulnerability.