Claude’s official account announced on X on July 13 that the no-extra-charge usage period for Claude Fable 5 has been extended again by 7 days—pushing the end date from July 13 to July 19. This is the latest in a series of postponements of Claude’s switch to a usage-based pricing model due to tight compute capacity.
Claude Official Announces: Fable 5’s No-Extra-Charge Usage Extended to July 19
According to an announcement from Claude’s official X account, as the original deadline of July 13 arrived for Claude Fable 5’s no-extra-charge usage period, it has been extended again by 7 days to July 19. The reason for this extension is tight compute capacity, which is also the latest delay in Claude’s repeated deferrals of its official switch to a usage-based pricing model.
Claude Fable 5 is Anthropic’s new-generation large language model launched in June 2026. Compared with the prior-generation Claude 4.5, it shows significant improvements in reasoning speed and context-handling ability, especially excelling at long-document analysis, code generation, and complex logic reasoning.
OpenAI: Temporarily Removes Codex’s Daily 5-Hour Usage Limit
According to an announcement from OpenAI on X, OpenAI has temporarily removed the daily 5-hour usage limit for the Codex model. Previously, each user could use it for up to 5 hours per day; after that, they had to wait for the reset the next day. OpenAI did not announce a timeline for restoring the limit, and the duration of the restriction removal is unclear.
Codex is a model focused by OpenAI on software development, and it excels in mainstream languages such as Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript. After removing the usage cap, developers can integrate it more freely into their day-to-day development workflows.
Pricing and Switching Costs: Claude Max at $60, Putting Pressure on Competitors
According to reports, Claude Fable 5 is currently offered under Claude Pro pricing ($20/month). After the free period ends, if users want to keep using Fable 5, they must upgrade to Claude Max ($60/month) or switch to usage-based pricing.
Some users have already shared screenshots of high credit-card bills on community platforms and said they will switch to OpenAI GPT-5.6 Sol or xAI’s Grok 4.5 if the extension policy is ineffective.
Industry observers say that the cost of “model switching” is decreasing, and user loyalty has become more sensitive to pricing strategies. With Anthropic, OpenAI, and xAI launching new-generation models frequently in the first half of 2026 to collect user feedback during extended free periods, this has become the most direct low-cost competitive strategy.
FAQ
What is the new end date for the no-extra-charge usage of Claude Fable 5?
According to Claude’s official X account announcement, the no-extra-charge usage period for Claude Fable 5 has been extended by 7 days again from July 13. The new end date is July 19, 2026. The reason for the extension is tight compute capacity.
How much do users need to pay after Claude Fable 5’s free period ends?
According to reports, after Claude Fable 5’s free period ends, if users want to continue using it, they must upgrade to Claude Max ($60/month) or switch to usage-based pricing. Currently, Claude Pro’s monthly fee is $20, but users can no longer continue to enjoy Fable 5.
Is OpenAI Codex’s removal of the 5-hour limit permanent?
According to OpenAI’s announcement, this removal is “temporary.” OpenAI has not announced a timeline for restoring the limit. Previously, each Codex user could use it for up to 5 hours per day, and after that, they had to wait for the next day’s reset.
