Beating AI News: Anthropic faces lawsuit over alleged misleading promotion regarding Claude Max subscription limits. On November 6, a U.S. federal court in California denied Anthropic's request to dismiss all claims. The judge ruled that the official claims of '5x and 20x usage' could mislead consumers, allowing certain allegations to proceed.
The lawsuit was initially filed in June. Previously, Claude Pro cost $20 per month, Max 5x was $100, and Max 20x was $200. However, the plaintiff discovered that the advertised multipliers applied only to usage within every 5-hour window, with an additional weekly cap.
Based on Sonnet 4 usage data cited by the plaintiff, Max 5x actually offered only about 3.5 times the weekly usage of Pro, while Max 20x provided only around 6 times. The $200 plan costs twice as much as the $100 one but delivers only about 71% more weekly usage.
Anthropic argued that these limitations were disclosed on their website. However, the judge noted that users had to click through two layers of links from the sales page to find the clarification stating that the multiplier applies only per session. Since plans are billed monthly, consumers might reasonably interpret '20x' as referring to total monthly usage.
Nevertheless, the judge did not fully support the plaintiff. The court allowed claims related to negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, and certain consumer protection allegations to continue, but temporarily dismissed other charges. The plaintiff failed to sufficiently prove intentional reduction of usage limits; claims under false advertising and unfair competition laws also did not meet the legal threshold for injunctive relief or refund demands.
Notably, Anthropic adjusted its pricing tiers on October 30. The former Max 5x was renamed Max, with a clearly stated weekly allowance of 5 times that of Pro; Max 20x was rebranded as Ultra, with a weekly limit set at 10 times Pro’s usage, and verified accounts are no longer subject to the 5-hour usage cap. Pricing for both tiers remains unchanged.
The case is still in early stages. The court has not yet determined whether Anthropic violated any laws, nor has it approved class-action status or awarded damages. The plaintiff may amend the complaint before December 2; if not, Anthropic must formally respond to the existing complaint by December 16.