# Anthropic's new Sonnet 5 model is better at the tasks that are running up enterprise bills

> Source: <https://www.engadget.com/2205475/anthropic-releases-claude-sonnet-5-model/>
> Published: 2026-06-30 21:28:34+00:00

# Anthropic's new Sonnet 5 model is better at the tasks that are running up enterprise bills

This version of Claude should offer more efficient performance at lower costs.

Anthropic has [released](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-sonnet-5) a new version of Claude that's aimed at handling queries not just from human users, but from agentic AI. The company says its new Sonnet 5 model is capable of handling agentic tasks and delivering performance specs similar to its recent Opus models, but at lower [prices](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/about-claude/pricing).

Starting September 1, Sonnet 5 will cost $3 per million input tokens as a base and $15 per million output tokens. Before that date, the prices will be even lower. In contrast, Opus 4.8 currently costs $4 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. It will be available at those prices in Claude Code and the Claude Platform. Sonnet 5 will also be available for all subscriptions, including as the default model for Anthropic's free and pro tiers of Claude plans.

Agentic AI tools make vastly more queries of a model than a human is even capable of making, and those are largely responsible for instances where customers, particularly enterprise businesses, blow huge amounts of their budget on tokens. We have a more detailed explainer [here](https://www.engadget.com/2185772/claude-ai-free-2026-limits-workarounds/) if you want to get into the weeds about tokens and costs for Claude, because there still are free options for casual users. While this may not prevent all over-spending, Sonnet 5 takes advantage of a new [tokenizer](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/about-claude/models/whats-new-sonnet-5) to offer greater efficiency to parties that are heavy agentic users.
