Anthropic AI subscription controversy: Lawsuit alleges deceptive marketing of Max 5x and Max 20x usage plans
Anthropic is facing a federal class-action lawsuit for allegedly misleading customers about usage limits on premium subscription tiers, according to a report.
The complaint, filed on behalf of Washington, D.C.-based user Karl Kahn, alleges that Anthropic is “overselling usage allowances” tied to its high-end “Max 5x” and “Max 20x” Claude AI plans, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The lawsuit claims that the company’s marketing of higher-tier subscriptions is “misleading,” arguing that “the actual usage generated by the Max 5x and Max 20x plans is well below the amount of usage advertised,” according to the WSJ.
Claims of confusing or restricted usage limits
Users of premium plans say actual computing limits are difficult to understand and often appear lower than expected, according to the filing cited in the news publication.
The lawsuit alleges that Anthropic advertised the plans as offering five times and 20 times more usage than the standard Pro subscription, but users encountered real-world limitations that were tighter than advertised.
Complainant says work is disrupted
Lead plaintiff Karl Kahn reportedly switched to the $100 per month Maximum 20x plan but quickly hit the limits.
The lawsuit states that he “needed to either stop his work, ration his use, or purchase additional use to complete his work,” according to the report.
Anthropic’s pricing model
Anthropic’s Claude AI offers tiered subscriptions ranging from around $20 per month for Claude Pro to $100 and $200 for Max plans; higher tiers offer more computing access.
The lawsuit argues that discrepancies between advertised and actual usage undermine consumers’ trust in premium AI subscriptions.
Increasing consumer pressure on the AI sector
This reflects increasing scrutiny of AI subscription models as generative AI tools become mainstream consumer and business services, the news outlet notes.
It also highlights broader industry pressures as companies like Anthropic, OpenAI and Google expand their paid AI offerings while managing infrastructure constraints and growing demand.
Anthropic has not commented on the lawsuit, according to the WSJ.
The case comes at a time of increasing regulatory and operational pressure on AI firms, including recent restrictions affecting access to advanced models in certain jurisdictions.
The lawsuit was filed just days after the Trump administration banned foreign governments, companies and individuals from using Anthropic’s most advanced AI tools, forcing the company to disable access to certain models globally to comply with the new restrictions.
