Hey folks,
I’m Cristian Sarmiento — AI Software Engineer, ex-satellite operations specialist at ARSAT (Argentina’s national space agency), autistic + ADHD, libertarian, and sometimes a horrorsynth composer when I need to step away from the code.
<img src="https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--MCj3ZIHa--/f_auto/v1775853845/ugc/content_a651d8c5-2adb-4806-9e19-56873919eada?_a=BAMAMiWQ0" alt="image.png">
Like many of you, I just learned that Anthropic has pulled the plug on third-party tools like OpenClaw for Claude Pro and Max subscribers. Starting April 4th, 2026 at 12pm PT, these tools no longer work under your subscription. Period.
Boris Cherny (Head of Claude Code) explained it clearly: the subscription plans were never built for the extreme usage patterns these third-party agents generate — non-stop 24/7 requests, zero context reuse, and massive compute consumption.
Am I annoyed? Absolutely. I’ve built several agents that relied on Claude and this forces me to recalculate my costs. But surprised? Not at all.
I’m a libertarian, so let me be direct: a private company has every right to protect its infrastructure and resources. If third-party agents are hammering their GPUs around the clock, Anthropic must choose — either raise prices for everyone or implement limits. Choosing limits is the smarter move. It’s not anti-innovation. It’s responsible business.
What I find funny is seeing people who usually criticize capitalism getting upset when a company finally decides to charge based on actual usage. Welcome to how markets work.
For those of us building stuff: yes, this stings. You now have to pay via “Extra Usage” bundles (with some discount) or use your own API key. They did give a one-month credit as a buffer, which is decent.
My practical advice as an engineer who worked in satellite operations (where compute capacity was also extremely expensive):
• Properly measure the real consumption of your agents.
• Evaluate whether the new cost makes sense or if open-source alternatives are good enough.
• Diversify. Never put all your eggs in one AI provider’s basket.|
This situation is a healthy reminder that “unlimited cheap AI” was never truly unlimited. Those GPUs run on real electricity and real money.
What’s your plan? Did this change affect you directly? Are you switching providers, moving to raw API, or something else? Drop your thoughts below — I read every comment (and reply when I’m not deep in hyperfocus).
Abrazo from Córdoba, Argentina (mate in one hand, cat on the keyboard),
Cristian Sarmiento 🍸🍋
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Cristian Sarmiento

Anthropic has cut off third-party tools like OpenClaw from Claude Pro and Max subscriptions starting April 4th, 2026, citing extreme usage patterns from third-party agents generating non-stop requests and massive compute consumption. The author, an AI engineer, shares a libertarian perspective defending Anthropic's right to protect its infrastructure, while acknowledging the practical impact on developers who built agents relying on Claude subscriptions. Practical advice includes measuring actual agent consumption, evaluating cost-effectiveness versus open-source alternatives, and diversifying across AI providers rather than depending on a single vendor.

Anthropic Just Cut Off Third-Party Tools from Claude Subscriptions — My No-BS Take as a Libertarian AI Engineer