How to redeem a Claude gift subscription code

Last updated 30 July 2026 · Reviewed quarterly

The procedure takes about thirty seconds. The rules around it are where people lose money — a code that expires after a year, a mobile subscription that blocks redemption entirely, and no ability to stack two gifts. All of the below is from Anthropic’s own documentation rather than inference, including what happens when you redeem while already subscribed.

Key takeaways

Redemption is at claude.ai/gift/redeem and works on the web only — not in the iOS or Android app.
An active App Store or Google Play subscription must end before a gift can be redeemed at all.
Gifts expire 365 days after the purchase date, and cannot be stacked or held in reserve behind another.
Redeeming a Pro gift during a running Pro term extends it, which is what makes ordering a few days early safe.

The procedure

Open claude.ai/gift/redeem in a browser on a computer or phone. It must be the web — gift subscriptions cannot be redeemed inside the iOS or Android app.
Sign in to the Claude account you want upgraded, using the same sign-in method you always use. A Google sign-in and an email sign-in with the same address are two different accounts, and the plan lands on whichever one you are in.
Paste the code exactly as delivered, including any hyphens, with no trailing space. Copy it from the email rather than retyping from a screenshot.
Confirm. The plan activates on that account immediately, with no card added and none requested.
Check the plan shows in your account before closing the tab, so you know it landed where you intended.

All three stages are yours. No legitimate seller ever needs your Claude password.

Five rules Anthropic sets that catch people out

Web only. A gift cannot be redeemed in the mobile apps, however you received it.
An active mobile subscription blocks it. If you currently pay Apple or Google for Claude, that subscription has to end before a gift can be redeemed at all.
Gifts expire 365 days after the purchase date — not after delivery, and not after you receive the email. A code held longer than a year is lost.
No stacking. You cannot redeem two gifts at once or hold one in reserve behind another.
Only existing Pro and Max subscribers can buy a gift. Free-tier users cannot, and neither can members of Team or Enterprise organisations.

What happens if you already have a subscription

This is the part almost nowhere documents in plain terms, and it is the difference between a gift extending your plan and a gift becoming account credit. The outcome depends on the tier you hold against the tier you were given.

Redeeming a gift while a plan is already running
You currently hold	The gift is	What happens
Claude Pro	Claude Pro	Your term is extended
Claude Pro	Claude Max	Temporary upgrade, then back to Pro with credit added
Claude Max	A lower tier	Account credit rather than a plan change
Claude Max	The same or higher tier	Extended, or upgraded
Free tier	Anything	The plan starts immediately
A mobile subscription	Anything	Blocked until the mobile subscription ends

Redeeming a gift while a plan is already running

The first row is the useful one for anyone buying renewals: redeeming a Pro gift during a running Pro term extends it rather than wasting the overlap. That is why ordering a few days before expiry is safe — you are not throwing away the remainder.

The second and third rows are worth reading before buying a tier you do not currently hold. A Max gift redeemed on a Pro plan does not simply make you Max for the full term, and a Pro gift redeemed on Max becomes credit rather than time.

Things that go wrong, and what they mean

"Already redeemed" — the code was consumed. Check every sign-in method you own before contacting anyone, since redeeming on a second account of your own is the common cause.
"Invalid" — usually a transcription error. Watch for zero against letter O, and one against lowercase L.
Nothing appears to happen — check whether you are signed in to the account you expected, rather than assuming the code failed.
It refuses while you pay Apple monthly — that is the documented mobile clash, not a bad code.
An error mentioning region or availability — that is an account-level restriction, and no code resolves it.

If you are the one buying the gift

Confirm you hold Pro or Max yourself. Anthropic does not let free-tier, Team or Enterprise users purchase gifts.
Choose the plan and duration: Pro, Max 5× or Max 20×, in 1, 3, 6 or 12-month terms.
Choose delivery — straight to the recipient’s inbox with a message, or a shareable link you pass on yourself.
Tell the recipient which tier it is, so they know what they are redeeming.
Remind them of the 365-day window, and that they cannot use it while a mobile subscription is running.

No card of your own and nobody to ask? We buy the official gift and email you the code within 12 hours.

See plans and prices

Frequently asked questions

Where do I redeem a Claude gift code?

At claude.ai/gift/redeem, signed in to the account you want upgraded. Note the /gift/ segment — a path missing it is not the page, and a number of guides get that wrong. Redemption works on the web only and cannot be done inside the iOS or Android app.

Can I redeem a Claude gift code in the mobile app?

No. Anthropic states that gift subscriptions can only be redeemed on the web. Separately, if you currently hold an App Store or Google Play subscription for Claude, that subscription has to end before a gift can be redeemed at all — so the two routes cannot overlap.

Do Claude gift codes expire?

Yes — 365 days after the purchase date, which is not the same as the date you received it. Buying ahead is safe inside that year, but a code set aside and forgotten for longer is lost. If you were given one some time ago, redeem it rather than saving it.

Can I stack two Claude gift codes?

Not simultaneously. Anthropic states that recipients cannot redeem multiple gifts at one time or stack redemptions. What does work is sequential: redeeming a Pro gift while a Pro term is running extends that term, so buy the next one shortly before the current one ends rather than trying to apply both at once.

What happens if I redeem a Max gift while on Pro?

You get a temporary upgrade to Max, then revert to Pro with credit added to the account — rather than holding Max for the gift’s full duration. The reverse also has a quirk: a Pro gift redeemed while you hold Max becomes account credit instead of extending time. Worth knowing before buying a tier you do not currently hold.

Who can buy a Claude gift subscription?

Only existing Pro and Max subscribers. Anthropic does not allow free-tier users, or members of Team and Enterprise organisations, to purchase gifts. That is why asking a friend to buy one for you only works if that friend already pays for Claude themselves.

Sources

Primary sources where one exists. All links checked on publication; if one has rotted or the rule has changed, tell us and we will fix it.

[1]How to redeem a Claude gift subscription — Anthropic (Claude Help Center)Supports: The redemption URL, the 365-day expiry, that gifts cannot be stacked, that redemption is web-only, that an active mobile subscription must end first, and what happens when the recipient already holds a plan.
[2]How to gift a Claude subscription — Anthropic (Claude Help Center)Supports: The plans and durations available as gifts, the email and shareable-link delivery options, that only existing Pro and Max subscribers can buy them, and that they are available globally.