API model string
claude-sonnet-5Context window
1M tokens
Max output 128K tokens (sync), 300K tokens (batch)
- Knowledge cutoff
- not published
- Released
- June 30, 2026
- Modalities
- text + image in, text out
Last verified July 10, 2026
Rate limits by tier
Anthropic replaced its numeric Tier 1–4 system with three named tiers — Start, Build, Scale — on June 26, 2026, plus a Custom (sales) tier above Scale. Monthly spend caps are Start $500, Build $1,000, Scale $200,000. Claude Sonnet 5 shares the same RPM/ITPM/OTPM ceilings as Opus 4.x at every tier. All figures are per Anthropic docs via third-party trackers — verify actual limits in your console at platform.claude.com/settings/limits, as limits vary by organization.
| Tier | Requirements | RPM | TPM | RPD | Concurrent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | First API key or cumulative deposit under $40; no prior spend required | ~50 (per third-party trackers — confirm in your console/dashboard) | ITPM not published separately for Sonnet 5 at Start tier; legacy Tier-1 Opus reference was ~30,000 ITPM; anecdotal post-Colossus reports cite ~500,000 ITPM (per third-party trackers — confirm in your console/dashboard) | not published | not published | Legacy Tier 1 equivalent. Adequate for testing and prototyping only. Sonnet 5 is NOT supported on Priority Tier per Anthropic service-tiers docs (July 2026). |
| Build | Cumulative spend above ~$40; promotion is automatic | not published | not published | not published | not published | Automatic on crossing spend threshold; RPM and TPM scale above Start tier ceilings. |
| Scale | Cumulative deposit threshold (~$200 equivalent); spend cap $200,000/month | ~4,000 (per third-party trackers — confirm in your console/dashboard) | ~2,000,000 ITPM (Sonnet/Opus class); ~400,000–800,000 OTPM (per third-party trackers — confirm in your console/dashboard) | not published | not published | Scale ceiling is the primary planning target for production workloads. Cache reads do NOT count toward ITPM for Sonnet 5, effectively increasing throughput headroom. Higher limits via Custom tier. |
| Custom | Contact Anthropic sales | not published | not published | not published | not published | No spend cap; negotiated RPM/ITPM/OTPM ceilings; dedicated support SLA. |
Swipe the table sideways to see every limit column.
- 1.Token-bucket replenishment is continuous, not fixed-window reset. Anthropic acceleration limits can trigger 429 on sudden usage spikes even when you are within tier ceilings — ramp traffic gradually.
- 2.Cache reads do NOT count toward ITPM for Sonnet 5 (current non-† classified model). This is a key throughput optimization.
- 3.Sonnet 4.x/5 and Opus 4.x share identical tier ceilings as of June 2026 and share one org-level pool per model class.
Limits verified against the Anthropic docs, July 10, 2026.
Token pricing
What you pay per million tokens (USD). Input and output are billed separately.
Input
$2.00
per 1M tokens
Output
$10.00
per 1M tokens
Cached input
$0.20
per 1M cached
Batch discount
−50%
on batch jobs
- INTRODUCTORY pricing through August 31, 2026 only. Standard pricing flips to $3.00 input / $15.00 output per MTok on September 1, 2026. Lock in batch workloads before this date.
- Cache read = $0.20/MTok (0.1× base input $2.00). 5-minute cache write = $2.50/MTok (1.25× base). 1-hour cache write = $4.00/MTok (2× base). Cache reads excluded from ITPM.
- Batch API (50% off): introductory $1.00 input / $5.00 output per MTok. Async within 24 hours. Max 300K output tokens per request with output-300k-2026-03-24 beta header.
- Extended thinking tokens billed as output (can multiply output cost 3–5×). Disable for non-reasoning tasks.
- US-only data residency (inference_geo: 'us') adds 1.1× surcharge on Sonnet 4.6 and later. Omit unless legally required.
- Web search tool adds $10 per 1,000 searches on top of token costs. Cache tool-calling contexts to minimize repeated searches.
- No long-context surcharge on 1M-context Sonnet 5. No free API tier. No first-party embeddings or fine-tuning.
Side-project chatbot
$20
per month
Assumptions
5M input tokens / 1M output tokens per month, no caching
5M × $2.00/MTok = $10 input + 1M × $10.00/MTok = $10 output = $20/mo
Mid-scale app with caching
$164.40
per month
Assumptions
60M input / 12M output per month, 70% of input served from cache
18M × $2.00/MTok = $36.00 (non-cached) + 42M × $0.20/MTok = $8.40 (cache reads) + 12M × $10.00/MTok = $120.00 output = $164.40/mo
High-volume production
$1,600
per month
Assumptions
400M input / 80M output per month, no caching
400M × $2.00/MTok = $800 input + 80M × $10.00/MTok = $800 output = $1,600/mo
Run your own numbers
Drag your real monthly token volumes and watch the bill update live — priced against rival models at the same usage.
Estimated claude-sonnet-5 spend
$110/mo
Input: $60
Output: $50
30M in × $2.00 + 5M out × $10.00 = $110
Same volume, priced across models
- Gemini 2.5 ProCheapest$88
- claude-sonnet-5This model$110
- Claude 4 Opus$275
- GPT-5$300
Rivals priced at their published input/output rates for the same monthly volumes. Prompt caching is model-specific, so it is applied to claude-sonnet-5 only. Estimates for comparison; real bills vary with request shape and long-context surcharges.
claude-sonnet-5 vs the alternatives
Claude Sonnet 5 competes primarily with Claude Opus 4.8 (same provider, higher capability), GPT-5.5 (OpenAI), and Gemini 2.5 Pro (Google) on price, context, and throughput.
| Aspect | claude-sonnet-5 | Claude 4 Opus | GPT-5 | Gemini 2.5 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Context window | 1M tokens | 1M tokens | ~1M tokens (922K input) | 1M+ tokens |
| Input $/MTok (intro) | $2.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 | $1.25 (≤200K) |
| Output $/MTok (intro) | $10.00 | $25.00 | $30.00 | $10.00 |
| Cached input $/MTok | $0.20 | $0.50 | $0.50 | ~$0.125 |
| Batch discount | 50% | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| Max output (sync) | 128K | 128K | 128K | not published |
| Thinking tokens | billed as output | billed as output | billed as output | billed as output |
| Long-context surcharge | none | none | 2× above 272K | 2× above 200K |
| Priority Tier support | NOT supported | yes | yes | n/a |
Swipe the table sideways to see every model.
Hitting a 429? The playbook
The exact errors you'll see
rate_limit_errortype: "rate_limit_error"HTTP 429 Too Many RequestsWhy it happens & how to fix it
RPM burst: sending requests too fast within a short window
Spread requests evenly; Anthropic's token-bucket uses acceleration limits that fire on sudden spikes even within tier ceilings. Ramp up linearly over minutes, not seconds.
ITPM saturation from large prompts or high-context inputs
Activate prompt caching with cache_control breakpoints. Cache reads do NOT count toward ITPM for Sonnet 5, effectively multiplying throughput. Use 1-hr cache writes ($4.00) for long-lived system prompts.
OTPM exceeded on high-volume streaming output
Reduce max_tokens per request; move bulk generation workloads to Batch API (50% off, async within 24h, up to 300K output tokens/request).
Org-level Sonnet pool exhausted by multiple teams sharing one key
Check the Rate Limits API (GET /v1/rate-limits, launched April 25, 2026) to see remaining headroom per dimension. Redistribute across separate API keys or teams.
Attempting to route Sonnet 5 to Priority Tier
Sonnet 5 is NOT supported on Priority Tier per Anthropic's service-tiers docs (July 2026). Use standard Start/Build/Scale tier path or upgrade to Custom for higher limits.
Retry strategy
On receiving a 429, read the retry-after header (value is seconds to wait before retrying). Also parse the anthropic-ratelimit-requests-remaining and anthropic-ratelimit-tokens-remaining headers to identify whether you are RPM-bound or TPM-bound — this determines whether you should reduce request rate or reduce token count per request. Use exponential backoff with jitter: start at 1 second, double on each retry, cap at 64 seconds.
1const ANTHROPIC_API_URL = "https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages";23async function callWithRetry(4 payload: object,5 maxRetries = 56): Promise<Response> {7 let attempt = 0;8 let delayMs = 1000;910 while (attempt <= maxRetries) {11 const res = await fetch(ANTHROPIC_API_URL, {12 method: "POST",13 headers: {14 "x-api-key": process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY!,15 "anthropic-version": "2023-06-01",16 "content-type": "application/json",17 },18 body: JSON.stringify(payload),19 });2021 if (res.status !== 429) return res;2223 const retryAfter = res.headers.get("retry-after");24 const requestsRemaining = res.headers.get("anthropic-ratelimit-requests-remaining");25 const tokensRemaining = res.headers.get("anthropic-ratelimit-tokens-remaining");2627 console.warn(28 `429 received (attempt ${attempt + 1}/${maxRetries + 1}). ` +29 `Requests remaining: ${requestsRemaining}, Tokens remaining: ${tokensRemaining}. ` +30 `Retry-After: ${retryAfter}s`31 );3233 const waitMs = retryAfter34 ? parseInt(retryAfter, 10) * 100035 : delayMs + Math.random() * 500;3637 await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, waitMs));38 delayMs = Math.min(delayMs * 2, 64000);39 attempt++;40 }4142 throw new Error(`Exceeded max retries (${maxRetries}) on 429`);43}How to raise your limits
The ladder from the starter tier to enterprise — what each rung takes, and what it unlocks.
Start
ImmediateAutomatic on creating first API key or depositing under $40 cumulative. No action required.
Unlocks: ~50 RPM; ITPM not published; spend cap $500/month. Adequate for prototyping and testing only.
Build
Automatic within hours to days of crossing thresholdAutomatic when cumulative spend crosses ~$40 threshold. No application required.
Unlocks: RPM and ITPM ceilings scale above Start. Spend cap $1,000/month.
Scale
Automatic within days of crossing thresholdAutomatic when cumulative deposit crosses ~$200 threshold (legacy Tier-3 equivalent). Check platform.claude.com/settings/limits for your current position.
Unlocks: ~4,000 RPM / ~2,000,000 ITPM / ~400,000–800,000 OTPM (per third-party trackers — confirm in console). Spend cap $200,000/month. Cache reads excluded from ITPM. This is the primary production planning ceiling.
Custom
Days to weeks to negotiateContact Anthropic sales team. Discuss volume commitments, use case, and enterprise agreements. Annual volume commitments can accelerate access.
Unlocks: No spend cap. Negotiated RPM/ITPM/OTPM above Scale. Dedicated support SLA. Note: Sonnet 5 Priority Tier access is NOT available at any tier — this is a per-model restriction, not a tier restriction.
Cut your token spend
Prompt caching
−90% cost on repeated context; cache reads excluded from ITPM (effective throughput multiplier)Add cache_control breakpoints to system prompts and repeated context blocks. Use 1-hr cache writes ($4.00/MTok) for long-lived system prompts. Cache reads cost $0.20/MTok (0.1× base) AND do not consume ITPM quota — dual benefit for high-context apps.
Batch API
50% off input and output costs; removes OTPM pressure from real-time pathRoute all non-latency-sensitive work to Batch API (async within 24h). At intro pricing: $1.00/$5.00 per MTok. Supports up to 300K output tokens per request with output-300k-2026-03-24 beta header.
Lock in workloads before September 1, 2026
Saves 33–50% versus post-September standard pricing ($3/$15 vs $2/$10)Introductory pricing ($2.00 input / $10.00 output) ends August 31, 2026. Batch and cache-heavy jobs scheduled before this date lock in meaningful budget savings.
Ramp traffic gradually
Avoids acceleration-triggered 429s that fire within tier ceilingsAnthropic uses token-bucket replenishment with acceleration limits. Smooth request curves over minutes, not seconds. Never burst from 0 to max rate instantaneously.
Set conservative max_tokens
Prevents TPM exhaustion on variable-length jobsToken estimate for a request counts toward TPM at admission time. Setting conservative max_tokens prevents OTPM exhaustion when many parallel requests are in flight.
Disable extended thinking on non-reasoning tasks
Avoids 3–5× output cost multiplierExtended thinking tokens are billed as output tokens. Enable only when deep reasoning is genuinely needed; disable for summarization, extraction, and routing tasks.
Skip US-only data residency unless required
Saves 10% on applicable Sonnet versionsSetting inference_geo: 'us' adds 1.1× surcharge on Sonnet 4.6 and later. Omit this parameter entirely unless you have a legal or compliance requirement for US data residency.
Cache web search tool results
Reduces $10/1K searches surcharge on repeated queriesThe web search tool charges $10 per 1,000 searches on top of token costs. Cache tool-calling contexts with search results so the same search is not repeated across sessions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I increase my Claude Sonnet 5 rate limits?
Rate limits increase automatically as your cumulative spend crosses thresholds: ~$40 cumulative moves you from Start to Build, and ~$200 cumulative unlocks the Scale tier (~4,000 RPM / ~2M ITPM per third-party trackers). Above Scale, contact Anthropic sales for a Custom tier with negotiated limits and no spend cap. Monitor your current tier at platform.claude.com/settings/limits or via the Rate Limits API (GET /v1/rate-limits).
Is the Claude Sonnet 5 API free?
No. There is no free tier for Claude Sonnet 5. The Start tier requires an API key and allows spend up to $500/month, but all token usage is billed. Introductory pricing is $2.00 input / $10.00 output per MTok through August 31, 2026, after which it reverts to $3.00/$15.00.
Does Claude 3.5 Sonnet still work?
Claude 3.5 Sonnet was dropped from Anthropic's active pricing record on February 19, 2026. The legacy API string remains callable, but Anthropic no longer recommends it for new projects. The current default price/performance model is Claude Sonnet 5 (claude-sonnet-5), released June 30, 2026.
What does the Claude API rate_limit_error mean?
rate_limit_error (HTTP 429) means you have exceeded one of three limits: RPM (requests per minute), ITPM (input tokens per minute), or OTPM (output tokens per minute). Check the anthropic-ratelimit-requests-remaining and anthropic-ratelimit-tokens-remaining response headers to identify which dimension you hit. The retry-after header tells you how many seconds to wait before retrying.
How does Claude Sonnet 5 pricing compare to GPT-5?
At introductory rates, Claude Sonnet 5 is $2.00/$10.00 per MTok (input/output) versus GPT-5.5 at approximately $5.00/$30.00. Sonnet 5 also has no long-context surcharge on its 1M context window, while GPT-5.5 charges 2× above 272K tokens. Both offer 50% batch discounts. Note: Sonnet 5 intro pricing ends August 31, 2026.
Do cache reads count toward Claude Sonnet 5 ITPM limits?
No — cache reads do NOT count toward ITPM for Claude Sonnet 5 (the current non-† model). This is a significant throughput advantage: heavy prompt caching both cuts cost (cache reads = $0.20/MTok vs $2.00 standard input) and preserves ITPM headroom, effectively multiplying your throughput capacity without upgrading tiers.
Can I use Claude Sonnet 5 on Priority Tier for lower latency?
No. Per Anthropic's service-tiers documentation (July 2026), Claude Sonnet 5 is NOT supported on Priority Tier. This is a per-model restriction, not a tier restriction — even Custom-tier customers cannot access Priority Tier for Sonnet 5. If Priority Tier access is a requirement, Claude Opus 4.8 supports it.
What's the best way to manage Claude API costs across a team?
Use the Rate Limits API (GET /v1/rate-limits, launched April 25, 2026) to programmatically monitor remaining headroom per dimension. Separate API keys across teams to partition the org-level pool. RapidDev's engineers help teams implement quota management, prompt caching strategies, and model routing to reduce Claude API spend — reach out at rapidevelopers.com/contact for a free scoping call.
When does Claude Sonnet 5 introductory pricing end?
Introductory pricing ($2.00 input / $10.00 output per MTok) ends August 31, 2026. Starting September 1, 2026, standard pricing takes effect at $3.00 input / $15.00 output per MTok. Batch API pricing also adjusts proportionally. Schedule your high-volume batch workloads before this date to lock in current rates.
We build AI apps that don't hit rate limits
- Retry, backoff & caching built in
- Multi-provider fallback routing
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