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Claude Ultra for CNCF Maintainers FAQ

Anthropic is giving CNCF project maintainers six months of Claude Ultra at no cost. See the announcement for who's eligible and how to request a code.

This page covers what happens when you redeem a code, depending on the Claude plan you have today.

I'm on the Free plan. What happens?​

Ultra starts when you redeem. After six months, your account returns to Free and you are not billed.

I pay for Pro or Max on the web and my plan renews. What happens when I redeem?​

Your current plan ends when you redeem, Ultra starts, and any unused time becomes account credit.

About six months later, your old plan restarts and bills the old price plus any tax, less any credit. A yearly plan bills a whole new year.

The redeem page doesn't mention the restart, so decide before you redeem whether you want your old plan back.

How do I keep the full six months without my old plan renewing afterwards?​

Select Cancel plan before you redeem. Pausing the plan doesn't count.

Finish the cancellation until the page says your plan will be canceled on a date, and then redeem. You get the full six months and end on Free, with no bill.

If you pay yearly and cancel first, your unused time is kept only as account credit, which pays only for a later paid plan.

Can I cancel or change my plan during the six months?​

Don't select Cancel plan or change your plan during the six months.

  • Cancel: Canceling ends the gift at the next monthly date, and the rest is lost.
  • Resubscribe: Selecting Resubscribe to undo a cancellation means Ultra bills at full price from month seven, and your old plan is gone.
  • Month six: The Cancel plan button isn't available in month six, so you can't cancel late to skip the bill. It comes back once your old plan has billed.

My Pro or Max plan has a discount, a scheduled change, or is already set to cancel. What happens?​

Your old plan does not restart. Ultra starts as soon as you redeem, and after six months you end on Free with no bill.

I already pay for Ultra. Can I use a code?​

Yes, but the code becomes account credit only, and that credit pays your next bills. This includes anyone who bought Max 20x.

If your Ultra plan is already set to cancel, you get six fresh months instead, and then your account returns to Free.

I already have Ultra through Claude for Open Source or another gift. Should I redeem now?​

Wait until your current gift ends. A code redeemed now would almost certainly only become credit.

Don't select Cancel plan in the meantime, because that would lose your remaining months.

Settings shows the date your gift ends, but not what follows it. If you were on a paid plan when your gift began, expect that plan may restart and bill when the gift ends.

I subscribe through the App Store or Google Play. Can I redeem?​

Not while the store plan is active. The code is refused, and it stays valid.

Cancel in the store, let the term end, and wait until Settings on claude.ai shows Free before you redeem.

I'm on a Team or Enterprise plan. Can I redeem?​

No. The code is refused on Team and Enterprise accounts, and it stays valid.