This article explains how to enable and use extra usage on your Max 20x plan, allowing you to continue working with Claude after reaching your plan's usage limits by switching to pay-as-you-go pricing.
What is extra usage?
Extra usage allows individuals subscribed to Max 20x plans to continue using Claude seamlessly after reaching their included usage limits. Instead of being blocked when you hit your session limits, you can switch to consumption-based pricing at standard API rates and continue your work without interruption.
Enabling extra usage
To enable extra usage on your Max 20x plan:
Navigate to Settings > Usage in your Claude account.
Locate the Extra usage section.
Click "Enable" to turn on extra usage.
Set up your payment method if not already configured.
Configure your spending preferences:
Set a monthly spending cap to control costs.
Enable auto-reload to automatically add credits when your balance is low.
Choose "Unlimited" if you prefer no spending restrictions.
How extra usage works
When you reach your Max 20x plan’s usage limit with extra usage enabled:
You'll see a notification that you've reached your session usage limit.
If extra usage is enabled, you can choose to continue working.
Your subsequent usage will be billed at standard API pricing rates.
Your session limits reset every five hours as usual.
Note: Extra usage is charged separately from your Max 20X subscription and appears as additional charges on your bill.
Setting spending controls
Control your extra usage spending with:
Monthly spending cap: Set a maximum amount you're willing to spend on extra usage each month.
Auto-reload settings: Automatically purchase credits when your balance drops below a threshold.
Usage alerts: Receive notifications when approaching your spending limits.
Extra usage pricing
Extra usage is priced at standard API rates per million tokens (MTok):
Model | Input | Output | Prompt caching (Write) | Prompt caching (Read) |
Sonnet 4.5 | $3 / MTok (≤200K tokens) $6 / MTok (>200K tokens) | $15 / MTok (≤200K tokens) $22.50 / MTok (>200K tokens) | $3.75 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$7.50 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) | $0.30 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$0.60 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) |
Opus 4.1 | $15 / MTok | $75 / MTok | $18.75 / MTok | $1.50 / MTok |
Sonnet 4 | $3 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$6 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) | $15 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$22.50 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) | $3.75 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$7.50 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) | $0.30 / MTok (Prompts ≤ 200K tokens)
$0.60 / MTok (Prompts > 200K tokens) |
Opus 4 | $15 / MTok | $75 / MTok | $18.75 / MTok | $1.50 / MTok |
Sonnet 3.7 | $3 / MTok | $15 / MTok | $3.75 / MTok | $0.30 / MTok |
Opus 3 | $15 / MTok | $75 / MTok | $18.75 / MTok | $1.50 / MTok |
Haiku 3.5 | $0.80 / MTok | $4 / MTok | $1 / MTok | $0.08/ MTok |
Note: The pricing table above shows standard API rates that apply to your extra usage. Your actual charges will be based on the tokens consumed during your Claude and Claude Code usage at these published rates. You can monitor your usage and spending in your account settings.
Managing your extra usage
Monitoring usage and costs
Track your extra usage through:
Usage dashboard: View real-time consumption in Settings > Usage.
Current spending: Monitor your month-to-date extra usage costs.
Usage history: Review past consumption patterns to optimize future usage.
Tips for cost-effective usage
To manage extra usage costs while maintaining productivity:
Choose efficient models: Use our newest and most efficient model - Sonnet 4.5 - for most tasks. It provides excellent performance at lower token costs than Opus models.
Leverage your included usage first: Plan intensive work sessions around your five-hour usage windows.
Start new conversations: Begin fresh chats for new topics to minimize the size of your context window.
Use projects effectively: Store frequently referenced documents in project knowledge instead of re-uploading.
Set appropriate limits: Start with conservative spending caps and adjust based on your needs.
How extra usage works with other features
Claude Code
Extra usage applies to both Claude conversations and Claude Code terminal usage. Your combined usage across both interfaces counts toward your limits.
Research mode
When using Research mode, extra usage rates apply once you exceed your included Max 20X limits. Research sessions may consume tokens more quickly due to multiple searches and comprehensive analysis.
Projects and knowledge bases
Documents stored in project knowledge count toward your context when used in conversations. Extra usage pricing applies to all tokens processed, including project content.
FAQs
What happens when I reach my extra usage spending limit?
If you've set a spending cap and reach it, you won't be able to continue using Claude until either your spending limit resets next month or you increase the cap.
Can I disable extra usage after enabling it?
Yes, you can disable extra usage at any time through Settings > Usage. Once disabled, you'll only have access to your included Max 20x usage.
How quickly do my regular usage limits reset?
Your Max 20x plan’s included usage limit will reset every five hours once you reach it. Extra usage doesn't affect this reset timing.
Is extra usage available for all Max plan tiers?
No, extra usage is only available for Max 20x plans. Max 5x subscribers can only use their plan’s usage limit at this time.
Can I track extra usage separately from my included usage?
Yes, the usage dashboard clearly distinguishes between your included Max plan usage limits and any extra usage consumption.
Will I get a warning before switching to extra usage?
Yes, you'll see a clear notification when approaching and reaching your included usage limits, with a confirmation that you’ll continue with extra usage.
Does extra usage pricing differ from API pricing?
No, extra usage is billed at the same standard API rates shown in the pricing table above.