Anthropic's Claude sees surging popularity among paying users

Anthropic's Claude is gaining unprecedented popularity among paying consumers. According to an analysis by payment data analytics firm Indagari, Claude is rapidly growing, securing a record number of paying subscribers.

An Anthropic spokesperson revealed that Claude's paid subscriber count has more than doubled this year. New payments surged particularly between January and February, with growth especially notable between late January—when the conflict with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) was reported—and late February.

The main drivers of this growth are as follows:

• Super Bowl ad: A humorous ad targeting OpenAI contributed to increased brand awareness
• Conflict with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD): Refusing to be used for lethal AI and mass surveillance reinforced the brand identity
• New features and tools: Claude Code, Claude Cowork, and the recently launched Computer Use feature

The majority of new subscribers are using the Pro tier, priced at around $20 per month. In particular, the recently launched Computer Use feature, which allows users to operate a computer independently, is further accelerating subscription growth.