Skip to content
RRanked By Task

Guides

How to use Claude

Last updated

Some tool links may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. Rankings are never paid for or changed by that. Disclosure.

Claude is a chatbot from Anthropic. The getting-started article calls it a large language model trained to be a helpful, honest, and harmless assistant, with a conversational tone. You talk to it by typing a prompt. On this site Claude is first on Best for Writing when a draft has to sound like a person. It is weaker when the job is searching the web and citing this afternoon's news. Claude Code, the terminal coding agent, is a different product and is second on Best for Vibe Coding.

Sign up, and the free plan

  1. Go to claude.ai (opens in a new tab). Anthropic also lists a desktop app for Mac or Windows, and apps for iOS and Android.
  2. You must be at least 18, and you must be in a supported location. The getting-started article states both.
  3. For a new account, Anthropic's signup article says to enter your email and choose Continue with email, or Continue with Google, then follow the login link or Google prompts.
  4. New accounts verify a phone number from a supported location. Anthropic sends a six-digit text code. The help center says that step cannot be skipped, and that VoIP or landline numbers that cannot receive texts are not accepted.
  5. Type your prompt and submit. The model name shows under the box on the web, or at the top on mobile. You can switch models that your plan includes.

There is a free plan. Anthropic's pricing page lists Free at $0, "free for everyone," including chat, web search, files, artifacts, and projects up to five. The same table says Claude Code is not on Free. The getting-started article says the free plan has a session-based usage limit that resets every five hours, that the number of messages varies with demand, and that Claude tells you when you hit the limit. Do not treat a blog's message count as the rule. Paid plans add usage. Prices on that page can change.

A first prompt

Anthropic's own tip is to speak as you would to a coworker: naturally, and specifically. Paste one of these and fill the brackets.

  1. Rewrite this note so it sounds like me: calm, short, no jokes. Here is the draft: [paste].
  2. I need to apologize for a late reply. Give me two versions, each under 80 words. The reason is [reason].
  3. Explain [topic] in plain language. Stop after five sentences, then ask if I want an example.
  4. Turn these bullet points into a short announcement for my team. Keep every fact: [paste].

If the tone is wrong, say what to change. The getting-started tips are: start simple, be specific, iterate, and try more than one kind of task.

Limits, and checking facts

A session limit is not a promise of a fixed number of replies. Anthropic says the count varies and that other limits may apply so access stays fair. When you are stopped, wait for the reset or look at paid plans. Do not keep rephrasing the same prompt hoping the counter ignores it.

Claude can search the web on the free plan, according to the pricing table. Searching is not the same as a research tool that leads with links. Our writing verdict still says Claude is the weaker choice when you need this afternoon's news cited. Read anything it quotes. Do not use a chatbot reply as professional advice just because the sentences sound finished.

File creation, including spreadsheets and documents, is described in a separate help article as available to Free as well as paid plans, with a 30MB file size. If a control is missing, you may be on a surface that does not offer it. The article is the source, not a screenshot from somewhere else.

When another tool ranks higher

ChatGPT is the generalist for drafts you will edit. Gemini is the convenient writer next to Gmail and Docs. Grammarly is the editor for text you already wrote. Those comparisons are Claude alternatives, How to use ChatGPT, and How to use Gemini. For links you will click, Perplexity is first on Best for Research. For a multi-file code change in the editor, Cursor is first on Best for Vibe Coding. Claude Code is the terminal option, and it is not on the free chat plan.

Sources

Questions people ask

Is Claude free?
Yes. Anthropic's pricing page lists a Free plan at $0, free for everyone, with usage limits. The help center says the free plan has a session limit that resets every five hours, and that the number of messages varies.
Does the free plan include Claude Code?
No. Anthropic's pricing table lists Claude Code as not included on Free. Claude Code is on paid plans. The free plan is the chat product.
Do I need a phone number?
Anthropic's signup article says new users enter an email and continue with email or Google. A separate help article says new accounts verify a phone number from a supported location, and that step cannot be skipped.
When should I use something else?
ChatGPT is the generalist on the writing list. Gemini is the one next to Gmail and Docs. Perplexity is first when you need links. Cursor is first when the agent has to live in the editor.