Claude Code users are complaining that they are exceeding their usage limits too quickly. Anthropic is investigating whether this is due to a bug.
Anthropic has received an increasing number of complaints regarding Claude Code’s usage limits in recent weeks. Developers on forums like Reddit and Discord report reaching their limits faster over the past few days. This also applies to paying users with Pro or Max subscriptions, costing $200 per year or $100 per month, respectively.
Anthropic acknowledges that users are reaching ‘their limits faster than expected’ and states that investigating this is its top priority. The AI company previously attempted to spread Claude Code usage across peak and off-peak hours through manual interventions. Capacity was reduced during peak hours, while users were given a double limit during off-peak hours. This does not appear to have fully resolved the issue, although Anthropic claims these measures led to ‘efficiency gains.’
Cache bug
The exact cause remains unclear, but a bug may be at the root of the problem. One developer on Reddit claims to have discovered two separate bugs related to the cache. Caching significantly reduces token usage and costs. Anthropic has not confirmed whether a bug is actually responsible.
At the heart of the problem is the lack of clarity for users on how usage limits are determined, let alone how to track their usage. Capacity is not growing fast enough to keep up with the popularity of AI tools like Claude Code and the resulting surge in usage. In this regard, AI companies are sometimes victims of their own success. Google recently faced the same issue with its Antigravity platform.