Codex vs Claude Code usage limits (2026): windows, weekly caps, resets compared
by vortwangUpdated
Both meter a five-hour window and a weekly limit, but the clocks differ. A Codex five-hour window starts with your first message after the previous one ends; Anthropic says only that the Claude session limit 'will reset every five hours'. Codex's weekly reset moves per account, while Claude's 'resets at a fixed time each week that is assigned to your account'. Claude adds Opus and Sonnet limits; Codex Pro has no five-hour limit; only Codex documents banked and purchased resets.
What the official docs say
A new window starts when you send your first message in Work or Codex after the previous window ends.
Quoted from OpenAI Help Center: Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codex Your session-based usage limit will reset every five hours.
Quoted from Claude Help Center: What is the Max plan? The weekly limit resets at a fixed time each week that is assigned to your account.
Quoted from Claude Help Center: What is the Max plan? your next automatic weekly reset is seven days after that request
Quoted from OpenAI Help Center: Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codex The Opus and Sonnet limits each apply only to requests to that model family
Quoted from Claude Code docs: Error reference (usage limits) Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool.
Quoted from OpenAI Help Center: Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codex And we also don't have 5h limits for both Pro plans.
Quoted from Tibo Sottiaux on X, 2026-08-31 ("we also don't have 5h limits for both Pro plans") An automatic or global reset refreshes the eligible usage limits specified in the announcement.
Quoted from OpenAI Help Center: Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codex Starting September 14, we're permanently raising standard weekly limits in Claude Code by 25% for Pro, Max, Team, and seat-based Enterprise plans.
Quoted from Claude Developers (@ClaudeDevs) on X, 2026-08-29 (weekly limits +25% from September 14)
How it is counted
Two windows each, two different clocks. OpenAI's help center says a new Codex five-hour window 'starts when you send your first message in Work or Codex after the previous window ends', and that where both windows apply 'you need allowance remaining in both to continue'. Anthropic's Pro and Max articles say the session limit 'will reset every five hours' and the Claude Code error reference calls it 'a rolling usage allowance'; none of those articles says when the five-hour clock starts. On the weekly side the difference is explicit: after a purchased Codex reset 'your next automatic weekly reset is seven days after that request', while the Claude weekly limit 'resets at a fixed time each week that is assigned to your account' and stays the same regardless of when you start.
Per-model caps and Pro. Claude Code has model-family limits on top of the shared ones: 'The Opus and Sonnet limits each apply only to requests to that model family', and the claude.ai usage page shows a weekly reset 'for Opus only and all other models'. Codex describes one shared pool instead: 'Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool.' Pro differs too. Tibo Sottiaux wrote on 2026-08-31 that Codex 'also don't have 5h limits for both Pro plans', after bringing the limit back for Plus on 2026-08-25; Claude Pro and Max both keep the five-hour session limit.
Resets and recent changes. Only Codex documents banked resets, purchased instant resets and an 'automatic or global reset' that 'refreshes the eligible usage limits specified in the announcement'. Anthropic's help center documents usage credits and says 'Usage credits don't affect this reset timing'; it publishes no banked or purchased reset, so that cell reads Not published. Account-wide resets happen on both: @thsottiaux on 2026-09-08 ('All reset for everyone') and @ClaudeDevs on 2026-09-01 ('reset 5-hour and weekly limits for all users'); the board on this site records each one. The latest dated Claude change is 2026-09-14, when standard Claude Code weekly limits were 'permanently' raised by 25% after a 50% temporary increase. This page compares rules only. Neither vendor publishes weekly numbers, and claims that one tool burns through allowance faster than the other are user reports, not vendor figures, so they are not compared here.
| Rule | Codex | Claude Code | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| When does a 5-hour window start? | With your first message in Work or Codex after the previous window ends | Anthropic says only that the session limit "will reset every five hours" and calls it a rolling allowance; the articles do not say when the clock starts | [1] [6] [8] [14] |
| Is the weekly clock fixed? | Per account: after a purchased reset the next automatic weekly reset is seven days after your first request; the pricing page says only "Weekly limits may also apply" | Fixed: it "resets at a fixed time each week that is assigned to your account" and stays the same regardless of when you start using Claude | [1] [2] [6] |
| Separate per-model weekly limit? | None described: one shared pool, and "Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool" | Yes: Opus and Sonnet limits "each apply only to requests to that model family"; the usage page lists a weekly reset "for Opus only and all other models" | [1] [8] [9] |
| Does Pro have a 5-hour limit? | No: "we also don't have 5h limits for both Pro plans" (2026-08-31). Plus got the limit back on 2026-08-25 | Yes: Pro and Max both have the five-hour session limit | [4] [5] [6] [7] |
| Reset cards or purchased resets? | Yes: banked resets and purchased instant resets are documented | Not published: the help center documents usage credits only, and "Usage credits don't affect this reset timing" | [1] [10] |
| Account-wide (global) resets? | Documented: "An automatic or global reset refreshes the eligible usage limits specified in the announcement"; announced by @thsottiaux, e.g. 2026-09-08 | No help-center rule; announced on @ClaudeDevs, e.g. 2026-09-01 "we've also reset 5-hour and weekly limits for all users" | [1] [13] [12] |
| Where do I see my own reset time? | /status in the CLI ("Show the chat ID, context usage, and rate limits"); /usage for token activity; Settings → Usage | /usage in Claude Code ("see your plan limits and when they reset"); Settings > Usage on claude.ai | [2] [3] [1] [8] [9] |
| Latest dated change (as of 2026-09-18) | Plus 5-hour limit back on 2026-08-25; Pro without it "for the upcoming months" (2026-08-31); weekly numbers Not published | From 2026-09-14 standard weekly limits "permanently" raised by 25% for Pro, Max, Team and seat-based Enterprise; a 50% increase applied until then | [5] [4] [2] [11] |
| Published numbers? | Five-hour estimates per plan (e.g. 5–45 GPT-6 Astra local messages on Plus), "not fixed message limits"; weekly: Not published | Not published: message counts "will vary based on message length"; Max 5x and 20x are defined only relative to Pro | [1] [2] [7] [6] |
FAQ
Does Codex or Claude Code give you more usage?
This page does not say, because neither vendor publishes weekly numbers. OpenAI publishes five-hour estimates per plan and calls them "not fixed message limits"; Anthropic says message counts "will vary based on message length". Claims that one tool burns through allowance several times faster than the other are user reports, not vendor figures, and are not compared here.
Which one resets the weekly limit on a fixed day?
Claude. Anthropic's help center says the weekly limit 'resets at a fixed time each week that is assigned to your account' and that the day and time stay the same regardless of when you start. Codex's weekly period is per account: after a purchased reset 'your next automatic weekly reset is seven days after that request'.
Does Codex have a separate Opus-style per-model limit?
Not in OpenAI's documentation. The help center describes one shared allowance and says 'Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool.' Claude Code is different: the error reference says 'The Opus and Sonnet limits each apply only to requests to that model family', so switching to a model outside that family keeps you working.
Can I buy a reset on Claude Code like on Codex?
Not published. OpenAI documents banked resets and purchased instant resets for eligible Plus and Pro accounts. Anthropic's help center documents usage credits, which let you keep working past the limit, and says 'Usage credits don't affect this reset timing'; it does not describe any banked or purchased reset.
Where do I check my reset time in each tool?
Codex: type /status in an active CLI session (the docs say it shows 'the chat ID, context usage, and rate limits'), /usage for daily or weekly token activity, or open Settings → Usage. Claude Code: type /usage to 'see your plan limits and when they reset', or open Settings > Usage on claude.ai.
Sources
- OpenAI Help Center: Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codexverified 2026-09-18
- Codex docs: Pricing (learn.chatgpt.com)verified 2026-09-18
- Codex docs: Developer commands (CLI)verified 2026-09-18
- Tibo Sottiaux on X, 2026-08-31 ("we also don't have 5h limits for both Pro plans")verified 2026-09-18
- Tibo Sottiaux on X, posted 2026-08-25 01:16 UTC ("Tomorrow we will bring back the 5h limit for Plus")verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Help Center: What is the Max plan?verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Help Center: What is the Pro plan?verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Code docs: Error reference (usage limits)verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Help Center: Usage limit best practicesverified 2026-09-18
- Claude Help Center: Manage usage credits for paid Claude plansverified 2026-09-18
- Claude Developers (@ClaudeDevs) on X, 2026-08-29 (weekly limits +25% from September 14)verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Developers (@ClaudeDevs) on X, 2026-09-01 ("reset 5-hour and weekly limits for all users")verified 2026-09-18
- Tibo Sottiaux on X, 2026-09-08 ("All reset for everyone")verified 2026-09-18
- Claude Code docs: Manage costs effectivelyverified 2026-09-18
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