Claude: what you get free and paid, and the right setup for every task
On its own, Claude is an excellent writer and analyst. With the right connections it works inside your email, Excel and folders. Here is what you really get free, what you get when you pay, and what to connect for each task.
01What Claude is and who it suits
Claude is the assistant made by Anthropic. You use it on the web, in the Windows and macOS app and on your phone. It is especially strong at writing, reading long documents, analysing data and creating real Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files.
It suits engineers, architects and small offices that live in documents: reports, specifications, quotes and emails. It suits less well people who mainly need images or video, because it does not generate those itself.
This page complements the beginner guide at The full Claude guide. There you learn the basics; here you choose a plan and build the right add-on mix for each task.
02Claude and its add-ons, in one picture
Claude without add-ons is a talented engineer in an empty room: smart, but seeing only what you hand over. A connector is a key to the filing cabinet (Gmail, Drive, Outlook). A skill is the office procedures binder. A plugin is a whole department's kit. Cowork is giving them a desk and time to work alone, and checking the work at the end.
03Free vs paid: what you really get
Claude Free
- Web search with links to the sources.
- Create and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files, with code execution.
- File uploads: up to 500MB per file, 20 files per chat, PDFs up to 1,000 pages.
- Memory, Artifacts and up to 5 Projects.
- Connectors from the directory (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 business) and Skills.
- Voice mode (beta) and Incognito chats.
- Desktop app for Windows and macOS with Desktop extensions.
Limit: The lowest usage, reset every 5 hours; Sonnet and Haiku only; no Research, Claude Code, Cowork, Claude in Chrome, Office add-ins or plugins.
Claude Pro
Pro: 20 USD per month, or 17 USD per month billed yearly (200 USD up front); tax not included.
- At least 5x the usage per 5-hour session, and the Opus model.
- Research: multi-step search with citations.
- Claude Code and Cowork, including Scheduled tasks.
- Claude for Excel, Word and PowerPoint, plus Claude for Outlook (beta).
- Claude in Chrome and role-based plugins.
- Claude Design, Slides and Docs (beta), and unlimited Projects.
- Optional usage credits when you hit the limit.
When paying is worth it: When Claude becomes a daily tool for reports, data and email, or you want it working inside Office and your folders. Offices of 2 or more: consider Team.
04The weak sides
In the free version
- Low usage; resets every 5 hours with no fixed message count.
- No Opus, only Sonnet and Haiku.
- No Research, Claude Code, Cowork, Scheduled tasks, plugins or Office add-ins.
- Up to 5 Projects and only one custom connector.
- Chats may be used for training if the Help improve Claude setting is on; check it and switch it off.
- No image or video generation, and that is true on paid plans too.
Even when you pay
- Paid plans still have a 5-hour session limit and a weekly limit.
- Many new features are still beta: Design, Slides, Docs, Claude for Outlook, the Google Workspace add-on and Computer use.
- Max is monthly billing only, with no yearly discount.
- The top model, Fable, is not in Pro, and on Max and Premium seats it is capped at 50% of the weekly limit.
- Enterprise bills usage at API rates on top of the seat, so the cost is hard to predict.
- Claude in Chrome and Computer use carry a prompt-injection risk; Anthropic advises against using them for banking, health records or passwords.
05Plans and prices
| Plan | Price per month | For whom | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 0 USD | Trying it out and occasional use | Low usage; Sonnet and Haiku only; up to 5 Projects; no Research, Cowork or Office add-ins |
| Pro | 20 USD (17 USD billed yearly) | Professionals who use Claude every day | 5-hour and weekly limits; no Fable; no Project sharing |
| Max 5x | 100 USD, monthly billing only | Heavy use and long agent tasks | Weekly limit still applies; Fable up to 50% of the weekly limit |
| Max 20x | 200 USD, monthly billing only | People who work with Claude most of the day | Weekly limit still applies; Fable up to 50% of the weekly limit |
| Team Standard | 25 USD per seat (20 USD billed yearly) | Offices and teams of 2 to 150 people | Minimum 2 seats; no SCIM, audit logs or Compliance API |
| Team Premium | 125 USD per seat (100 USD billed yearly) | Heavy team users such as developers | 5x a Standard seat; Fable up to 50% of the weekly limit |
| Enterprise | 20 USD per seat billed yearly, plus usage at API rates | Companies needing controls, SSO/SCIM and data security | Yearly only; cost varies with usage |
| Full comparison | AI Price Comparison: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot | All assistants in one table | Prices in USD, tax not included; local price shown after sign-in |
06The add-on types in one minute
Connectors
Link Claude to an outside service: Gmail, Drive, Microsoft 365, Canva, Wolfram and more. Adding them from the directory is free, but some need an account with that service.
Skills
Standing instructions that teach Claude a task, such as Word and Excel files or your reply rules. Available on Free too.
Plugins
A role-based kit that bundles skills and connectors: Marketing, Data, Customer Support and more.
Cowork and Claude Code
Claude works on its own on a long task: Cowork for files and documents, Claude Code for code.
Office and Chrome add-ons
Claude inside Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Google Docs, and in the Chrome browser.
07The best setup for each task
Write an email or letterA clear reply in the right tone, written from the real thread and ready to send once you have read it.8
Free way
- Claude Free (chat)Writes well in Hebrew and English; just state the tone, length and goal.
- Gmail connectorReads the thread and drafts the reply in Gmail; nothing is sent without your approval.
- Microsoft 365 connectorThe same for the office Outlook; works only with a Microsoft business account, not a personal outlook.com.
- MemoryRemembers context from earlier chats, so you do not re-explain who the client is and what was agreed.
Paid way
- ProMore usage and the Opus model, useful for long threads and sensitive letters.
- Claude for Outlook (beta)Drafts inside the Outlook compose window and waits for you to click Send.
- Brand Voice pluginTurns your company style into fixed guidelines, so every letter sounds the same.
- Gmail or Microsoft 365 connectorGives Claude the context of real threads instead of copy and paste.
"Draft a polite Hebrew reply to this supplier email, max 120 words, confirm delivery for Sunday, keep a formal tone."
Write a technical reportA real Word file with headings, tables and clearly marked assumptions, in your office template.7
Free way
- File creation + docx skillCreates a real .docx with headings and tables; Code execution and file creation must be on in Settings › Capabilities.
- Projects (up to 5)Keeps specs, calculation notes and the template in one place, visible to every chat in the project.
- Web searchAdds current background with links to the sources.
Paid way
- ProThe Opus model and more usage for long reports.
- Claude for WordWrites inside your own Word template, with tracked changes you accept or reject.
- Claude Docs (beta)A living document you edit together with Claude and share by link.
- ResearchAdds background sections with citations.
Upload your firm's report template and say: "Use this template's headings; write sections 1-4 from my notes; put all assumptions in a table; list anything you could not verify."
Summarise long documents and PDFsA short summary followed by a table of every numeric requirement, each with its page number.6
Free way
- File uploadPDFs up to 1,000 pages and 500MB, up to 20 files per chat; for PDFs of 100 pages or fewer the images are read too.
- Google Drive connectorSummarises files straight from Drive without uploading them again.
- ProjectsKeeps the documents for repeated questions over time.
Paid way
- Pro + ProjectsUnlimited projects, one per client or site.
- Microsoft 365 connectorReads files from the office SharePoint and OneDrive without manual uploads.
- Claude Docs (beta)Turns the summary into a document you can share by link with the team.
"Summarise this PDF in 10 bullets, then a table of every numeric requirement with page number." (Use the PDF viewer's page numbers.)
Translate documentsA translation that keeps numbers, units and standard references intact and comes with a glossary.7
Free way
- Chat + docx skillTranslates and returns a new, tidy .docx file.
- DeepL connectorWhole-document translation with glossaries; needs a DeepL account.
- ProjectsKeep your company glossary in a project so every translation uses the same terms.
Paid way
- ProMore usage for long files.
- Claude for WordTranslates inside the document, keeps the formatting and tracks the changes.
- Claude for Google Docs (beta)The same idea inside an open Google Docs file.
- DeepL connectorApplies your organisation's glossaries.
"Translate to Hebrew, keep all numbers, units and standard references (e.g. EN 1992-4) unchanged, and give me a glossary of the technical terms you chose." Always have a native speaker check legal or technical Hebrew.
Solve an engineering problem with a checked calculationA calculation in readable code, units on every variable and a second check done another way.6
Free way
- Code execution (Python)Ask Claude to compute in code, not in its head, and to show the code so you can check it.
- Wolfram connectorExact computation through Wolfram|Alpha, no sign-in needed.
- ADIT AAS/ARS softwareFor anchor calculations: free, reliable calculators to check the result Claude gave you.
Paid way
- Pro or Max with OpusThe strongest reasoning model on the paid plans.
- Wolfram connectorAn independent check of the result.
- Claude for ExcelBuilds the calculation sheet with real formulas you can audit.
"Solve with Python, state units for every variable, then re-check the result a second way (hand formula or Wolfram) and flag any difference above 1%." Results must be checked by a qualified engineer.
Analyse Excel data and make chartsA clean sheet with live formulas, a pivot table and a chart, with no pasted values.7
Free way
- CSV/XLSX upload + xlsx skillAnalyses the data and returns an .xlsx with formulas and charts; XLSX upload needs code execution on.
- Custom visuals (beta)Interactive charts right in the chat, downloadable as SVG or HTML.
- ArtifactsA small dashboard that opens beside the chat and can be shared by link.
Paid way
- Claude for ExcelWorks inside your own workbook and highlights the cells it changed.
- Data pluginSQL, data exploration and dashboards.
- Claude for Google Sheets (beta)The same in an open Google sheet.
- CoworkLonger work across several spreadsheets that keeps running while you do something else.
"Clean this sheet, list rows with missing values, then make a pivot by month and a line chart; keep formulas live, no pasted values."
Create a presentationA short deck, one message per slide, and numbers in charts rather than text.7
Free way
- pptx skill (file creation)Generates a .pptx file you download.
- Canva connectorGenerates designs directly in your Canva account.
- Gamma connectorGenerates designed decks in Gamma (needs a Gamma account).
Paid way
- Claude Slides (beta)Claude drafts the slides; you edit, present and export to PowerPoint or PDF.
- Claude for PowerPointWorks with your company slide master.
- Claude for Google Slides (beta)Edits the open deck in Google Slides.
- Gamma or Canva connectorWhen you need a more designed look.
"8 slides for a client meeting from this report; one message per slide; numbers in charts, not text; use our template.pptx."
Draw an image or illustrationHonestly: Claude does not generate images itself. A good result is a strong prompt passed to an image tool through a connector.6
Free way
- Weak spot: no built-in image generationPer the official help, Claude builds diagrams and charts in HTML/SVG instead of photos or illustrations.
- Canva connectorCreates designs in your Canva account.
- Hugging Face connectorRuns open Spaces, including open image models.
- Custom visualsFor schematic illustrations, diagrams and charts it works well, as SVG.
Paid way
- Adobe for Claude connectorDrives Firefly, Photoshop and Express through your Adobe account (the connector itself also works on Free).
- Claude Design (beta)Layouts, one-pagers and mockups on a canvas; vector or HTML, not photos.
Ask Claude to write the image prompt, then: "Use the Adobe connector to generate it in Firefly, 16:9, no text in the image."
Technical drawings, diagrams and flowchartsA clear, editable flowchart or diagram; not a scaled CAD drawing.5
Free way
- Custom visuals / Artifacts (SVG)Flowcharts and diagrams in the chat, downloadable as SVG.
- Mermaid Chart connectorValidates and renders Mermaid diagrams as editable SVG.
Paid way
- Claude Design (beta)Polished diagrams and one-pagers on a canvas.
- Lucid connectorGenerates Lucidchart diagrams straight from the chat.
- Miro connectorBuilds or summarises Miro boards your team already uses.
"Draw the installation procedure as a flowchart (Mermaid), max 12 boxes, decisions as diamonds." Not a CAD tool: no DWG or scaled engineering drawings.
Video and animationHonestly: no built-in video generation. Claude is good at the script, the shot list and editing through an outside tool.4
Free way
- Weak spot: HTML/CSS animation as an ArtifactThe only way without an outside tool: a simple animation that runs in the browser.
- Descript connectorEdits existing video by conversation, for example cutting clips; needs a Descript account.
Paid way
- Adobe for Claude connectorPremiere and Express workflows through your Adobe account.
- Descript connectorClips, clean-up and translation.
"Write a 60-second script and shot list for a product video, then use Descript to cut highlight clips from my recording."
Web research with sourcesA short report where every claim has a link and a date, and you open and check each link.5
Free way
- Web searchAnswers with source links, also on the free plan.
- Consensus connectorSearches peer-reviewed papers, with citations.
Paid way
- ResearchMany searches in a row and a cited report in minutes; also searches your connected apps.
- Consensus or Wiley Scholar Gateway connectorAcademic sources instead of blogs.
- Claude in ChromeReads and clicks through websites for you when you need to move across several pages.
"Use Research. Only official or peer-reviewed sources; give a table: claim, source URL, date." Open and check every link.
Search standards and regulationsAn answer only from the standard you uploaded, with clause numbers, and "not in document" when that is the case.5
Free way
- Upload your own copy of the standardClaude cannot read paywalled standards; upload your licensed copy.
- Web searchTo check the current edition and whether an amendment came out.
- Projects (up to 5)One project holding the standards you use most.
Paid way
- Pro + ProjectsKeep licensed standards (e.g. Eurocodes, SI) in a project and ask with clause references.
- ResearchFinds current editions, amendments and official notices.
"Answer only from the attached standard; quote clause numbers; say 'not in document' if missing." We found no official standards-body connector in the directory.
Write code or a small engineering toolA single-file calculator that shows formulas and units, with test cases whose answers are known.5
Free way
- ArtifactsSmall calculators and tools that run in the browser and are shared by link.
- Code executionRuns the code in a sandbox to test it; Claude Code is not included on Free.
Paid way
- Claude CodeClaude writes and fixes code directly in your files: in the terminal, an IDE, the desktop app or the web; shares your plan's usage.
- Engineering pluginSoftware engineering workflows (not civil or structural).
- Claude Design (beta)A screen mockup before you write the tool.
"Build a single-file HTML calculator for X, show formulas and units on screen, add 3 test cases with known answers."
Build a website or landing pageA fast, mobile-first landing page, in Hebrew right-to-left, with one call to action.6
Free way
- Single-page ArtifactBuilds a page and shares it by link, with no server.
- Wix connectorEdits your real Wix site (account needed).
- Webflow connectorThe same for a Webflow site.
Paid way
- Claude Code + Frontend Design pluginFull site code with better design.
- Claude Design (beta)Page mockups before the code.
- Netlify or Vercel connectorDeploys the site.
"Landing page in Hebrew, RTL (dir=rtl), mobile first, one call-to-action, fast loading, no external fonts."
Organise files and folders on the PCA sorting plan you approve first, then folders organised by type and date, with nothing deleted.6
Free way
- Weak spot: no Cowork on Free. Desktop extensionsWorkaround: Claude Desktop with a local extension (local MCP) from Settings › Extensions.
- Google Drive connectorSearches and reads files in Drive, so you know what is there before you sort.
Paid way
- Cowork in Claude DesktopGrant a folder and Claude sorts the files; deleting needs your approval.
- Computer use (beta)For apps with no connector: Claude clicks and types on your desktop.
- Scheduled tasksA regular weekly clean-up of the Downloads folder.
- Claude in ChromeFor sorting in cloud tools open in the browser, such as Google Drive.
"Organise my Downloads folder by type and date; show me the plan first; do not delete anything."
Meetings: transcription and minutesMinutes with decisions, action items (owner and due date) and open questions, in Hebrew.6
Free way
- Paste or upload a transcriptClaude writes the minutes and action items; we found no built-in meeting recorder.
- Otter.ai / Fireflies / tl;dv connectorPulls transcripts from those services (with your account there).
- Google Calendar connectorBooks the follow-up meeting straight in the calendar.
Paid way
- Zoom for Claude or Granola connectorMeeting summaries and recordings.
- Scheduled tasksAutomatic minutes after every weekly meeting.
- Claude Docs (beta)Minutes you can share by link.
"From this transcript: decisions, action items (owner, due date) as a table, open questions. Hebrew output."
Customer service and repeated repliesConsistent reply drafts that follow company rules, approved by a person before sending.6
Free way
- Project with your FAQSaved instructions and answers, reused for every draft.
- Gmail connectorReads the request and prepares a draft in the mailbox.
- Custom skillYour reply rules as a reusable skill; skills are available on Free too.
Paid way
- Team (Standard)Shared knowledge for the team and no model training on your content by default.
- Customer Support pluginReady support workflows: ticket triage and responses.
- Intercom connectorAccess to tickets and customer conversations.
Create a skill: "For warranty questions: confirm product code, ask for photo, never promise refunds, sign as Support team."
Learn a new subject (tutor)A step-by-step explanation, with a question after each step and a short quiz at the end.5
Free way
- Chat + ArtifactsExplanations, quizzes and flashcards as interactive Artifacts.
- Voice mode (beta)Practise in a spoken conversation; non-English languages are still in beta.
- Projects (up to 5)Keep the course material, and every answer is based on it.
Paid way
- Pro + Projects + ResearchCourse material in a project, plus cited deep dives.
- Consensus connectorAcademic sources.
"Teach me X step by step; ask me one question after each step; do not give the answer until I try."
Marketing and SEO contentAn article aimed at real keywords, in your company tone, with an FAQ.6
Free way
- Chat + Web searchDrafts and quick competitor checks.
- Canva connectorDesigns for social media posts.
- Custom skillYour writing and brand rules as a skill, so you do not repeat them.
Paid way
- Marketing pluginReady commands such as /seo-audit, /draft-content and /campaign-plan.
- Brand Voice pluginA consistent tone across all content.
- Semrush or Ahrefs connectorReal keyword data (with your subscription there).
"Use /seo-audit on this URL, then write a 900-word Hebrew article targeting the top 3 keywords with an FAQ section."
Automate a repeating workflow (agents)A task that runs on its own on schedule, asks before any sensitive action and reports back to you.6
Free way
- Weak spot: no scheduled tasks or Cowork on Free. Zapier connectorWorkaround: trigger Zapier workflows from the chat.
- Custom skillSaves the workflow instructions so you can run it again with one request.
Paid way
- Scheduled tasksRecurring reports that run unattended in the cloud, daily, weekly or monthly.
- CoworkHand off multi-step work that keeps running when you are away.
- Make / n8n / Zapier connectorActions in other apps.
- Claude in ChromeFor web apps that have no API.
"Every Monday 08:00: collect last week's emails tagged 'quote', summarise them in a sheet in Drive, and message me the 3 biggest." At first, keep 'ask before acting' switched on.
08Privacy and Hebrew
Training on your data
On Free, Pro and Max, chats are used for training only if the setting is on. Switch it off in Settings › Privacy (Help improve Claude); it applies to new chats. If training is on, de-identified data may be kept for up to 5 years. Incognito chats are never used for training, and raw connector content is not included unless you paste it into the chat.
Business plans
Team and Enterprise do not train on your content by default. Enterprise adds custom data retention, audit logs and the Compliance API.
Hebrew
Claude answers in the language you write in, so Hebrew works on every plan. The interface itself is not in Hebrew, and mobile dictation does not list Hebrew. For Word, PowerPoint and HTML files in Hebrew, ask for right-to-left explicitly and check the file.
Israel and prices
Israel is on the supported-countries list. Prices here are in USD without tax; to see the shekel price, sign in and check claude.ai/upgrade; app-store prices may differ.
09Set it up in 10 minutes
- 1
Open an account and get the app
Sign up at claude.ai and install Claude Desktop for Windows or macOS from claude.com/download, and on your phone if you like.
- 2
Decide on privacy
In Settings › Privacy, switch off Help improve Claude if you do not want chats used for training. Use an Incognito chat for sensitive topics.
- 3
Turn on file creation
In Settings › Capabilities, check that Code execution and file creation is on. Without it there are no Word or Excel files and no XLSX uploads.
- 4
Connect 2-3 connectors
In Customize, add Gmail or Microsoft 365 (business account) and Google Drive. On a paid plan, also install Claude for Excel and Word and Claude in Chrome.
- 5
Build a first Project
One project for the office: upload a report template, a licensed standard and a glossary, and write standing instructions such as "answer in Hebrew, SI units, mark assumptions".
- 6
Run a real task
Pick a task from the list above, for example a technical report from notes, and check the result as you would check a new employee's work.
10FAQ
Is the free version enough for a small office?
For emails, summaries and occasional reports, yes. If you use Claude every day you hit the limit fast, and there is no Research, Cowork or Office add-ins. Then Pro or Team pays off.
Which plan for a team of 3?
Team Standard: 25 USD per seat a month, or 20 USD billed yearly, so 60 USD a month for 3 seats on yearly billing. You get central billing, Project sharing and no training on your content by default. Someone who codes all day can get a Premium seat.
Can Claude draw images or make video?
Not by itself. It builds diagrams, charts and HTML animations. For images and video, connect Canva, Adobe for Claude, Hugging Face or Descript.
Can I trust its calculations?
Only after checking. Ask for the calculation in code with units, a second check through Wolfram, and for anchor calculations compare with ADIT's free software. A qualified engineer signs, not Claude.
What happens when I hit the limit?
The limit resets every 5 hours, and paid plans also have a weekly limit. On paid plans you can buy usage credits at API rates, or move to Max.
I am not a programmer. Cowork or Claude Code?
Cowork. It is made for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and organising files. Claude Code is for writing code. From September 2026 Cowork and chat are merging into one Claude, rolling out to Pro and Max first.