AI firm Anthropic has clamped down on people using its Claude chatbot via the agentic AI tool OpenClaw.
As PCMag reports, OpenClaw, released in late 2025, is a free and open-source AI agent that can execute tasks via third-party large language models (LLMs) like Claude, ChatGPT, Grok or Google Gemini. The app, which was even called “Clawd” when it debuted, has always had a close relationship with Anthropic’s LLMs.
As of 4 April 2026, Claude Pro and Max subscribers can no longer use their available credits through third-party frameworks such as OpenClaw. They are allowed to keep using tools like OpenClaw in theory, but they must now pay separately under a new “extra usage” billing system.
Anthropic’s Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code, chalked up the move to cost concerns in a post on X, saying the tool’s subscriptions “weren’t built for the usage patterns of these third-party tools.” Says Cherny, “Capacity is a resource we manage thoughtfully, and we are prioritizing our customers using our products and API.”
Cherny explained that his firm was a “big fan of open source,” and that the move “is more about engineering constraints.” Though the move currently only impacts OpenClaw, the policy is set to be rolled out to other third-party tools in the coming weeks.
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