Claude

Claude is Anthropic’s AI assistant for writing, analysis, research, coding and multi-step tasks, available on the web, desktop and mobile. As of September 2026 it runs on Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Fable 5.1, merges chat with the agentic Cowork mode, and includes Claude Code on paid plans. Plans start free, with Pro at $20 per month.

Last updated: September 2026

What is Claude?

Claude is a family of large language models and a set of apps built by Anthropic, an AI company structured as a Public Benefit Corporation focused on building reliable, interpretable and steerable AI systems.

Anthropic released Claude Fable 5.1 on September 1, merged chat and Cowork into one interface on September 16, and launched Claude Opus 5.5 on September 22. According to Anthropic, Opus 5.5 performs at the level of Fable 5.1 on most work while costing 40% less to run than Opus 5, and it generates output more than 30% faster than its predecessor.

Current Claude models

All current models accept text and images as input and return text. A fifth model, Claude Mythos 5.1, is the same underlying model as Fable 5.1 with fewer restrictions; Anthropic limits it to vetted organizations in its Cyber Verification and Life Sciences Verification programs, currently select US organizations.

Key features of Claude

One assistant for quick answers and long tasks

Since September 16, 2026, Claude no longer asks you to pick between a chat tab and a Cowork tab. You describe what you need and Claude decides whether it is a quick answer or a task that involves research, coding or file creation.

• Background tasks: Claude can keep working while you do something else, and scheduled tasks run in the cloud without your computer being online.
• Permission modes: Manual (the default) asks for approval before each action; Auto lets Claude work continuously with automated safety checks.
• Rollout: the merged experience is reaching Pro and Max first on web, desktop and mobile; Free and Team plans follow later, and Enterprise customers get 30 days’ notice.

Claude Code for software development

Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic coding tool. It reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and tests, handles multi-file refactors and migrations, and can automate pull requests. It runs in the terminal, as VS Code and JetBrains extensions, inside the desktop app, on the web at claude.ai/code, on iOS and Android, in Slack and through GitHub Actions. It is included in Pro, Max and Team plans and can also be billed through the API.

Artifacts, Docs, Slides and Claude Design

Artifacts are the documents, designs, code, dashboards and interactive tools Claude creates in a side panel. They start private and can be published as a shareable link. Paid plans add templates: Claude Docs for living documents you write with Claude and your team in real time (exportable to Word, PDF, Markdown and Google Docs), Claude Slides for decks that export to PowerPoint or PDF, and Claude Design, first launched on April 17, 2026 for designs, prototypes, mockups and one-pagers. All three templates are in beta, and on Enterprise plans an owner must switch each one on.

Projects and memory

Projects group related chats with a shared knowledge base of files and custom instructions. On paid plans, Claude switches to retrieval (RAG) automatically when project knowledge approaches the context limit, and Team and Enterprise users can share projects with view or edit permissions. Memory saves individual topics as you chat, which you can review and edit under Settings; each project keeps its own separate memory, and incognito chats are not remembered.

Research with citations

Research runs multiple linked searches, decides what to investigate next and returns a cited answer in minutes. It can draw on the public web, Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Docs when connected, and any other connectors you have added. It is available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise.

Connectors, plugins and browser control

Connectors let Claude read data and take actions in apps such as Slack, Linear and Google Drive, respecting your existing permissions. Custom connectors use remote MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, and the desktop app supports local extensions. On September 25, 2026, Anthropic opened a developer portal for building and submitting Claude plugins. The Claude in Chrome extension, generally available on all paid plans since August 26, 2026, can read pages, click, type and fill forms using your existing logins.

Microsoft 365 and Claude Science

Claude works inside Excel, PowerPoint and Word on all paid plans, with Outlook in beta, and carries context between the four apps. For researchers, Claude Science (launched in beta on June 30, 2026 for Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise users) is a workbench pre-configured for genomics, single-cell, proteomics and cheminformatics that renders 3D protein structures and is backed by more than 60 scientific databases.

Benefits of using Claude

• Very long context: the three newest models handle up to 1 million tokens, enough for large codebases, contracts or report archives in one session.
• Finished, editable output: documents, decks, spreadsheets and prototypes arrive as files you can edit, share or download rather than chat text you have to reformat.
• Works with your existing stack: connectors, Microsoft 365 add-ins and the Chrome extension bring Claude to where your data already sits.
• Business controls: Team and Enterprise data is not used for model training by default, and Enterprise adds SCIM, audit logs, a compliance API, custom data retention and a HIPAA-ready option.

Claude use cases by role

• Developers: use Claude Code to fix bugs, write tests, run migrations and prepare pull requests; Anthropic highlights code migration and auditing as Opus 5.5 strengths.
• Marketers and content teams: draft long-form content in Claude Docs, build campaign decks with Slides, and research competitors with cited sources.
• Founders and managers: hand off multi-step tasks such as compiling a weekly report from connected tools, and schedule them to repeat.
• Analysts and finance teams: build and modify spreadsheet models directly in Excel and turn findings into PowerPoint slides with native charts.
• Researchers and students: summarize long papers inside a Project, run Research for literature scans, or use Claude Science for lab workflows.

How much does Claude cost?

Prices below are as of September 2026, in USD, from Anthropic’s pricing page and help center. Every plan has usage limits that reset on a rolling five-hour window, and paid plans add weekly limits. When you hit them, paid users can turn on usage credits billed at standard API rates.

With the Opus 5.5 launch, Anthropic said it is raising five-hour usage limits on Pro, Max, Team and seat-based Enterprise plans.

Claude pros and cons

Pros

• Opus 5.5 offers flagship-level performance at a lower API price than Fable 5.1.
• 1M-token context on Fable 5.1, Opus 5.5 and Sonnet 5.
• Claude Code is included in the $20 Pro plan and works across terminal, IDE, desktop, web and mobile.
• Editable Docs, Slides and design artifacts reduce copy-paste work.
• Broad integrations: remote MCP connectors, Microsoft 365, Chrome and Slack.

Cons

• Five-hour and weekly usage limits can interrupt heavy work, and agentic tasks, Research and long conversations use up limits faster.
• Fable 5.1 is not on the Free plan and is metered on Pro through usage credits.
• Claude’s models output text only; there is no native image generation.
• Many new features (Docs, Slides, Design, computer use, Outlook) are still in beta, and the merged experience is rolling out gradually.
• The new unified experience does not yet support GitHub integration or conversation branching, and Dispatch is unavailable to new users.

How to use Claude

1. Create an account at claude.ai, or download the app for macOS, Windows, Linux (beta), iOS or Android.
2. Start on the Free plan to test Sonnet, then upgrade to Pro if you need Opus, Claude Code or Research.
3. Create a Project for each ongoing piece of work and upload reference files and instructions to its knowledge base.
4. Connect the apps you use, such as Google Drive, Slack or Microsoft 365, from the connectors menu.
5. Describe the outcome you want in one message, including audience, format and constraints; Claude decides whether to answer directly or run a task.
6. Keep permissions on Manual while you learn how Claude works, and switch to Auto only for trusted, repeatable tasks.
7. For coding, install Claude Code in your terminal or IDE and point it at your repository.
8. Track your session and weekly limits under Settings, then Usage.

Claude alternatives

• ChatGPT: choose it if you want image generation and editing in the same assistant; OpenAI launched ChatGPT Images 2.5 on September 8, 2026.
• Google Gemini: a strong fit if your team works in Google Workspace, where Gemini sits in the side panel of Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive.
• Microsoft Copilot: worth comparing if your company has standardized on Microsoft’s own assistant, although Claude now also works inside Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook.

Frequently asked questions

Is Claude free to use?

Yes. The Free plan costs $0 and includes the Sonnet and Haiku models, web search, file creation, memory, connectors with one custom connector, Artifacts (without templates) and up to five Projects. It does not include Opus, Fable, Claude Code or Research, and its usage limits are lower than paid plans.

What is the latest Claude model in September 2026?

Claude Opus 5.5, released on September 22, 2026, is the newest model and Anthropic’s recommended starting point for most work. Claude Fable 5.1, released on September 1, is positioned for the most demanding reasoning and long-horizon agentic tasks and costs more per token.

How much is Claude Pro?

Claude Pro costs $20 per month billed monthly, or $17 per month on an annual plan paid as $200 up front. It includes Opus, Claude Code, Research, Claude in Chrome, Microsoft 365 add-ins and at least five times the Free plan’s per-session usage.

What happened to Claude Cowork?

On September 16, 2026, Anthropic merged Cowork into the main Claude experience. Instead of choosing a mode, you ask for what you need and Claude decides whether to answer or run a multi-step task. The change is rolling out to Pro and Max first, with Free and Team plans later.

Is Claude Code included in Claude Pro?

Yes. Claude Code is included in Pro, both Max tiers and Team plans, and it is not available on the Free plan. You can use it in the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, the desktop app, the web, mobile apps and Slack. Usage counts toward your plan’s session and weekly limits.

Does Claude train on my data?

On Free, Pro and Max, Anthropic’s pricing page lists model training as opt-out, so you can turn it off in your settings. On Team and Enterprise plans, data is not used for model training by default. Incognito chats are not saved to history or memory.

What is the difference between Claude Max 5x and Max 20x?

Both include every Pro feature plus priority access. Max 5x costs $100 per month and gives five times Pro’s per-session usage; Max 20x costs $200 per month and gives twenty times. Both allow Fable use up to 50% of weekly limits.

Verdict

Claude is one of the most complete AI assistants available in September 2026. Opus 5.5 brings near-Fable performance at a lower cost, the merged chat and Cowork experience removes the need to choose modes, and Claude Code alone justifies the $20 Pro plan for many developers. The main trade-offs are usage limits, no native image generation and several features still in beta. For daily professional use, start with Pro and move to Max only if you regularly hit limits.

Sources

• Plans and Pricing, Claude by Anthropic
• Models overview, Claude Platform Docs
• Introducing Claude Opus 5.5, Anthropic
• Introducing Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Mythos 5.1, Anthropic
• Claude Cowork and chat are one Claude, Claude Help Center
• Use Claude Cowork on web, desktop, and mobile, Claude Help Center
• Claude Code, Claude by Anthropic
• What is the Max plan?, Claude Help Center
• What are artifacts and how do I use them?, Claude Help Center
• Introducing Claude Design by Anthropic Labs, Anthropic
• How can I create and manage projects?, Claude Help Center
• Use Claude’s chat search and memory, Claude Help Center
• Use research on Claude, Claude Help Center
• Use connectors to extend Claude’s capabilities, Claude Help Center
• Usage limit best practices, Claude Help Center
• Release notes, Claude Help Center
• Claude in Chrome is generally available, Claude by Anthropic
• Claude for Microsoft 365, Claude by Anthropic
• Claude Science, an AI workbench for scientists, Anthropic
• Download Claude, Claude by Anthropic
• Company, Anthropic
• Anthropic merges Claude chat and Cowork in one interface, TechCrunch
• Anthropic merges its chat and agentic products into one AI assistant, Fortune
• Anthropic Launches Claude Opus 5.5, MacRumors
• OpenAI gives ChatGPT Images a major upgrade, Axios
• Google Workspace with Gemini, Google Workspace Help