How popular is Claude Code?

As of Aug 20, 2026, Claude Code routes about 289B tokens per day through OpenRouter — the #2 tracked AI coding tool by that measure. Its OpenRouter volume moved -5.8% over the last 7 days.

How much does Claude Code cost?

Claude Code's paid plans start at $20/month (Pro), with a free tier available, per its pricing page captured Aug 21, 2026. Plan changes are tracked over time on this page.

When was Claude Code last updated?

The most recent tracked release is v2.1.238 on Aug 20, 2026. Its full changelog history is listed above.

What are the best alternatives to Claude Code?

By OpenRouter usage, the closest alternatives are Kilo Code, Cline, and pi. Head-to-head comparisons are linked in the alternatives table.

ToolsAnthropic

Claude Code

homepage pricing changelog github npm docs

OpenRouter rank

of 15 tracked tools

Tokens / day

289B5.8%

snapshot Aug 20, 2026

Requests / day

2,696,056

OpenRouter, summed

Usage

OpenRouter token volume

latest Aug 20, 2026

source: OpenRouter app rankings · summed across the tool's apps · daily

289B on Aug 20, 2026

Pricing

Subscription plans

Latest captured subscription plans for Claude Code.
Plan	$/mo	$/yr	Notes
Free	$0	—	Free for everyone
Pro	$20	$200	Per month with annual subscription discount ($200 billed up front). $20 if billed monthly. · Includes Claude Code, Claude Cowork, Claude Design, Claude Science · More usage*
Max	$100	—	Per month · Prices shown don’t include applicable tax · Choose 5x or 20x more usage than Pro*
Team (Standard seat)	$25	$240	$20 Per seat / month if billed annually. $25 if billed monthly. · For teams of 2 to 150 · More usage than Pro*
Team (Premium seat)	$125	$1,200	$100 Per seat / month if billed annually. $125 if billed monthly. · For teams of 2 to 150 · 5x more usage than standard seats*
Enterprise	$20	—	Seat price + usage at API rates · $20/seat. Usage cost scales with model and task. · Billed annually · For large businesses operating at scale · Usage cost scales with model and task

source: claude.com/pricing

captured Aug 21, 2026

Change history

Aug 21, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise price now listed: $20/mo; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team
source
Aug 20, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise price no longer listed (was $20/mo); added Team; removed Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat)
source
Aug 19, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Team (Standard seat) price now listed: $240/yr; Team (Premium seat) price now listed: $1200/yr
source
Aug 18, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Aug 16, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team Standard, Team Premium
source
Aug 15, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Enterprise limits changed; added Team Standard, Team Premium; removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Aug 14, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team
source
Aug 13, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $17→$200/yr; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team; removed Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat)
source
Aug 12, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $200→$17/yr; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team
source
Aug 11, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Team limits changed; Enterprise limits changed
source
Aug 9, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team; removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat, Education
source
Aug 8, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free price no longer listed (was $0/yr); Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Team - Standard seat limits changed; Enterprise price now listed: $20/mo; added Education
source
Aug 7, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free price now listed: $0/yr; Pro $17→$200/yr; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat)
source
Aug 6, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $200→$17/yr; Max limits changed; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Aug 5, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free price no longer listed (was $0/yr); Pro $17→$200/yr; Team - Standard seat price no longer listed (was $20/yr); Team - Premium seat price no longer listed (was $100/yr); Enterprise price no longer listed (was $20/mo); removed Education
source
Aug 4, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free price now listed: $0/yr; Pro $200→$17/yr; Team - Standard seat limits changed; added Education
source
Aug 1, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro price now listed: $200/yr; Enterprise limits changed; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat)
source
Jul 30, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro price no longer listed (was $200/yr); Enterprise limits changed; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Jul 28, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $17→$200/yr; Team - Standard seat $20→$240/yr; Team - Premium seat $100→$1200/yr; Enterprise price now listed: $20/mo; removed Education
source
Jul 26, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro price now listed: $17/yr; Team - Standard seat price now listed: $20/yr; Team - Premium seat price now listed: $100/yr; Enterprise price no longer listed (was $20/mo); added Education
source
Jul 25, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro price no longer listed (was $200/yr); Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team
source
Jul 24, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Team price now listed: $25/mo; Enterprise limits changed
source
Jul 23, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; added Team; removed Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat)
source
Jul 22, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise limits changed; added Team (Standard seat), Team (Premium seat); removed Team
source
Jul 21, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise $?→$20/mo; added Team; removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Jul 19, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise $20→$?/mo; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team
source
Jul 18, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $204→$200/yr; Max limits changed; Enterprise $?→$20/mo; added Team; removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Jul 17, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $17→$204/yr; Max limits changed; Team - Standard seat $20→$240/yr; Team - Premium seat $100→$1200/yr; Enterprise limits changed
source
Jul 16, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Pro $200→$17/yr; Team - Standard seat $?→$20/yr; Team - Premium seat $?→$100/yr; Enterprise $20→$?/mo; removed Education
source
Jul 15, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free limits changed; Pro $17→$200/yr; Max limits changed; Team - Standard seat $20→$?/yr; Team - Premium seat $100→$?/yr; Enterprise $?→$20/mo; added Education
source
Jul 14, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free $0→$?/yr; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Team - Standard seat limits changed; Enterprise limits changed
source
Jul 13, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free $?→$0/yr; Pro $200→$17/yr; Team - Standard seat limits changed; Enterprise limits changed
source
Jul 12, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Team - Standard seat $?→$20/yr; Team - Premium seat $?→$100/yr
source
Jul 11, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free $0→$?/yr; Pro $17→$200/yr; Enterprise $20→$?/mo; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team
source
Jul 10, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free $?→$0/yr; Pro $200→$17/yr; Enterprise $?→$20/mo; added Team; removed Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat
source
Jul 9, 2026
Claude Code plans changed: Free $0→$?/yr; Pro limits changed; Max limits changed; Enterprise $20→$?/mo; added Team - Standard seat, Team - Premium seat; removed Team
source

Changelog

Releases

v2.1.238v2.1.238
Aug 20, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Added a `keybindingFlavor` setting: set it to `"readline"` to make Ctrl+W in the prompt delete back to the previous whitespace, as in Bash; the default (`"classic"`) is unchanged
- Plugin marketplaces: `headersHelper` on a url marketplace or a catalog entry runs a command that mints HTTP headers (e.g. a short-lived token) for catalog and same-origin archive fetches
v2.1.237v2.1.237
Aug 20, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Fixed prompt caching for sessions using an LLM gateway or custom base URL
- Added a built-in "Concise" output style: Claude leads with results and skips preamble and narration, while doing the work just as thoroughly. Select it under Output style in /config.
v2.1.236v2.1.236
Aug 19, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Added `ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_MODEL` environment variable: sets the model new sessions start on, while a `/model` pick still overrides it and persists across restarts (unlike `ANTHROPIC_MODEL`)
- Added `notify_when_idle` to cross-session `SendMessage`: ask another Claude Code session on this machine to send one notice when it next goes idle — opt-in, one-shot, no polling (macOS and Linux)
v2.1.235v2.1.235
Aug 18, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Added an optional `spellcheck` setting that underlines misspelled words in the prompt input as you type, using your installed `aspell`, `hunspell`, or `ispell`
- Fixed whole-prompt-cache invalidation when a language server disconnected or reconnected mid-session
v2.1.234v2.1.234
Aug 17, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Added the optional `CLAUDE_CODE_PROJECT_DIR_NAME` environment variable: hosts that give each session its own config directory can choose a short name for the per-project transcript directory
- Added the `selection:clear` keybinding action, so a key can be bound to clear an in-app text selection; also works in the agents view
v2.1.233v2.1.233
Aug 14, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Added GitLab merge request URL support to the `--worktree` flag and the `claude agents` view (where MRs display as `!N`)
- Added an opt-in `forward_user_identity` apps gateway setting on Anthropic upstreams that sends the signed-in user's identity as headers, so a proxy behind the gateway can attribute spend per user
v2.1.232v2.1.232
Aug 13, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Subagent forking is now on by default: a `subagent_type: "fork"` subagent inherits the full conversation and prompt cache, and non-teammate agent spawns in interactive sessions now run in the background by default
- Type `@` in the prompt to mention another Claude session by name; Claude then uses `SendMessage` to reach that session directly
v2.1.231v2.1.231
Aug 13, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Fixed MCP OAuth sign-in failing with a redirect URI mismatch for servers that use a pre-registered OAuth client, such as Slack
v2.1.229v2.1.229
Aug 12, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Documented `claude remote-control --continue` for resuming the most recent Remote Control session
- Added server-supplied Claude Code hook support for self-hosted runner sessions, matching managed-environment behavior
v2.1.228v2.1.228
Aug 11, 2026
- ## What's changed
- Fixed interactive sessions that could stop redrawing entirely, while the process kept running, after a rare internal layout error
- Fixed `git` / Git Bash not being found on Windows when Claude Code is launched from a parent folder of the git installation

source: github.com/anthropics/claude-code/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md

latest Aug 20, 2026

Adoption

GitHub & package growth

GitHub stars

source: github.com/anthropics/claude-code

142,192 stars · Aug 21, 2026

Package downloads/day

source: registry stats · @anthropic-ai/claude-code · 27 zero-day gaps hidden

1,270,044/day · Aug 16, 2026

Community

Reddit pulse

30-day · to Aug 21, 2026

Mentions/day

Sentiment split

The Absurd Math of $20 AI Coding Subs: Codex vs. Claude Coder/ClaudeAI · 145 pts
What’s the longest Claude Code has ran for a single prompt/request?r/ClaudeAI · 19 pts
Am I using Claude Code wrong, or is vibe ...r/ · — pts

source: Reddit mentions across coding subreddits · sentiment auto-classified

latest Aug 21, 2026

Benchmarks

Benchmark results

Benchmark scores for Claude Code.
Benchmark	Configuration	Score	Date	Source
no benchmark results attributed to Claude Code yet

scores as published by each benchmark; configurations differ — compare within a row's benchmark only

Alternatives

Similar tools

Alternatives to Claude Code by OpenRouter usage-rank proximity.
#	Tool	Tokens/day	7d Δ	Head-to-head
3	Kilo CodeKilo Code	325B	22.1%	vs Claude Code
5	ClineCline Bot Inc.	208.8B	18.1%	vs Claude Code
6	piEarendil Works (Mario Zechner)	183.9B	32.6%	vs Claude Code
9	CodexOpenAI	78.4B	193.4%	vs Claude Code

ranked by OpenRouter usage-rank proximity

snapshot Aug 20, 2026

FAQ

Claude Code FAQ

How popular is Claude Code?: As of Aug 20, 2026, Claude Code routes about 289B tokens per day through OpenRouter — the #2 tracked AI coding tool by that measure. Its OpenRouter volume moved -5.8% over the last 7 days.
How much does Claude Code cost?: Claude Code's paid plans start at $20/month (Pro), with a free tier available, per its pricing page captured Aug 21, 2026. Plan changes are tracked over time on this page.
When was Claude Code last updated?: The most recent tracked release is v2.1.238 on Aug 20, 2026. Its full changelog history is listed above.
What are the best alternatives to Claude Code?: By OpenRouter usage, the closest alternatives are Kilo Code, Cline, and pi. Head-to-head comparisons are linked in the alternatives table.

Alerts

Track Claude Code

Email me when Claude Code's pricing or plans change, or a new release ships.