Updated July 2, 2026. Fable 5 was restored worldwide July 1 after the June suspension. Pro/Max/Team plans include it at 50% of weekly limits through July 7; usage credits apply after. Live availability: fableguide.com/status, part of our dedicated Fable 5 guide. Latest news →
Door one: the Claude API
For builders. Restored July 1 after the June suspension — $10/$50 per million tokens, no waitlist, no window, and the same claude-fable-5 id as before.
- Get an API key at platform.claude.com (Console → API keys).
- Install an SDK:
pip install anthropicornpm install @anthropic-ai/sdk. - Set
ANTHROPIC_API_KEYin your environment — never in code. - Make your first call with
model="claude-fable-5".
Then go straight to the cookbook — especially prompt caching, which is what makes $10/MTok input affordable at scale.
Door two: Claude Code
For anyone who'd rather use Fable than call it. Fable 5 powers Claude Code — the terminal CLI, desktop app, web app, and IDE extensions.
- Install from claude.com/claude-code (or
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code). - Run
claudein a project directory and sign in. - Give it a whole task — goal, constraints, what "done" looks like — in one well-written message. That's where Fable's long-horizon strength shows.
Door three: claude.ai subscriptions
The window (updated July 2, 2026): on Pro, Max, Team, and select Enterprise plans, Fable 5 is included at 50% of weekly usage limits through July 7, 2026. From July 8 it requires usage credits. Treat this week as the trial: run your hardest real task and decide if the credits will be worth it.
- Open claude.ai and pick Fable 5 in the model selector.
- Bring a real problem — Fable's difference shows on hard tasks, not greetings.
Which door?
| You are… | Take |
|---|---|
| Building a product or pipeline | API — plus the cookbook |
| Writing or maintaining code | Claude Code |
| Everything else (analysis, writing, research) | claude.ai — before July 7 if subscribed |
Moral: doors don't matter much when it's the same room. Pick the one nearest your desk.