What Is Claude Business? Team vs Enterprise Plans Compared
Is there an official Claude Business plan and what are the options?
There is no official Anthropic plan called Claude Business. The term typically refers to Claude Team — the entry-level business tier with a DPA, a 5-user minimum, and approximately €25 per user per month on annual billing.
- Claude Team is the entry-level business tier with a DPA and a 5-user minimum at ~€25/user/month.
- Claude Enterprise adds SSO, audit logs, custom prompts, and optional Zero-Data-Retention for compliance-heavy teams.
- Free and Pro plans do not include a DPA and are not suitable for business data processing under the GDPR.
Claude Business does not exist as an official Anthropic plan. The term appears frequently in search and in procurement conversations, but Anthropic’s actual plan lineup is: Free, Pro, Team, Enterprise, and API. When someone asks about “Claude Business” or “Claude for Business,” they almost always mean Claude Team — Anthropic’s entry-level business tier with a data processing agreement (DPA), a minimum of 5 users, and approximately €25 per user per month on annual billing.
This page clarifies the naming confusion, compares Claude Team and Claude Enterprise side by side, and explains which tier is appropriate for businesses in Germany and the DACH region. For a broader overview of AI tools assessed by Compound Law, see the AI tools guide.
Is Claude Business an official plan?
No. Anthropic does not offer a plan called Claude Business.
The confusion arises because “business” is a natural modifier that people apply when searching for a commercial AI product. The actual Anthropic plan names are:
- Claude Free — personal use, no DPA
- Claude Pro — individual power users, no DPA
- Claude Team — entry-level business tier, DPA included, 5-user minimum
- Claude Enterprise — enterprise-grade, DPA included, SSO, audit logs, custom-quoted
- Anthropic API — developer access, DPA included
When someone searches for “Claude Business” or “Claude for Business,” they are almost always looking for Claude Team or Claude Enterprise — the two tiers that include a Data Processing Addendum relevant for GDPR compliance in Germany.
The single most important practical point: Claude Free and Claude Pro do not include a DPA. Using these tiers for business workflows that involve personal data is not a defensible GDPR position. The minimum compliant tier for business use is Claude Team.
Claude business plans compared: Team vs Enterprise
The table below compares Claude Team and Claude Enterprise across the dimensions that matter most for business buyers in Germany.
| Feature | Claude Team | Claude Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| DPA / AVV included | Yes (automatic) | Yes (automatic) |
| Minimum users | 5 | No stated minimum |
| Price | ~€25/user/month (annual) | Custom-quoted |
| SSO | No | Yes |
| Audit logs | No | Yes |
| Custom system prompts | No | Yes |
| Context window | Extended | Largest available |
| Zero-Data-Retention (ZDR) | No | Optional add-on |
| GDPR / DSGVO suitable | Yes | Yes |
Both tiers include a DPA — the contractual document required under Article 28 GDPR when a vendor processes personal data on your behalf. Neither tier requires a separate DPA negotiation for standard deployment; the agreement is incorporated automatically into Anthropic’s commercial terms.
The practical distinction for German companies is straightforward. Claude Team suits smaller teams that need a compliant tier with a DPA but minimal admin overhead. Claude Enterprise is appropriate for larger organisations or those with compliance teams that require SSO, documented audit logs, and formal governance controls.
For a detailed breakdown of the Anthropic DPA — what it covers, how to review it, and what to verify before rollout — see our Claude DPA guide.
Which Claude plan does your business need?
The choice between Claude Team and Claude Enterprise usually comes down to three variables: team size, compliance requirements, and IT governance needs.
Claude Team is appropriate when:
- Your team has 5 or more users but does not require enterprise-level governance
- You have no requirement for SSO (single sign-on)
- Your compliance team does not require audit logs or formal activity records
- You want a compliant, cost-effective entry point with a DPA
Claude Enterprise is appropriate when:
- Your IT or security team requires SSO integration for user management
- Your compliance or legal team requires audit logs and activity documentation
- You need custom system prompts to enforce consistent AI usage policy across the organisation
- You handle highly sensitive data and want the optional Zero-Data-Retention add-on
- You are a larger organisation with formal procurement and vendor-risk processes
Claude API is appropriate when:
- Your team includes developers building AI-powered workflows or products
- You need programmatic access rather than a chat interface
- You want full control over the integration architecture and can build your own access layer
For the vast majority of businesses simply asking “what is Claude Business?”, the answer they are looking for is Claude Team — a self-serve, compliant business tier that does not require a sales conversation.
GDPR compliance for Claude business plans
For companies in Germany and across the EU, the key GDPR question is: does the Claude tier include a Data Processing Addendum under Article 28 GDPR?
| Plan | DPA/AVV included | Suitable for GDPR business use |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Free | No | No |
| Claude Pro | No | No |
| Claude Team | Yes | Yes |
| Claude Enterprise | Yes | Yes |
| Anthropic API | Yes | Yes |
Claude Free and Claude Pro are consumer products. Using them for business workflows that involve personal data — customer names, employee records, contact details, order histories — is not compliant with Article 28 GDPR because there is no processor agreement in place.
The minimum required tier for GDPR-compliant business use is Claude Team.
That said, a DPA is the starting point, not the end of the compliance review. Before deploying any Claude tier for business use, organisations should also verify:
- International transfer mechanism: Whether data may leave the EEA and under what legal basis (typically Standard Contractual Clauses)
- Data retention: How long Anthropic retains prompt data, output data, and usage logs
- Subprocessors: Which third-party services Anthropic uses that may access your data
- Use case risk: Whether the specific workflow involves high-risk data categories such as employee data, health data, or confidential client content
For a full GDPR compliance checklist for Claude, see our Claude GDPR guide. For EU hosting options and data residency, see our Claude EU hosting guide.
How to get started with Claude for business
Getting started depends on which tier your organisation needs.
Claude Team: Self-serve via claude.ai. No sales conversation required. You can sign up directly, set up your team workspace, and begin with a minimum of 5 users. The DPA is incorporated automatically into Anthropic’s commercial terms on sign-up.
Claude Enterprise: Contact Anthropic directly. Enterprise pricing is custom and requires a sales conversation. Procurement teams should ask specifically about DPA terms, Zero-Data-Retention availability, SSO setup, and whether the intended deployment can satisfy any EU data residency requirements your organisation may have.
Claude API: Sign up via api.anthropic.com. The DPA is incorporated into the commercial terms. Developers can start with pay-as-you-go billing or negotiate volume pricing for higher usage.
A reminder that applies to all tiers: the DPA covers the contractual layer, but your internal usage rules are equally important. Establishing which data employees are permitted to enter into Claude — and which data is off-limits — is a governance step that sits alongside the vendor contract, not inside it.
If you are rolling out Claude for a German business and want an independent review of the vendor contract, DPA terms, or usage policy before signing, Compound Law can help. We advise businesses, founders, and in-house legal teams in Germany on AI procurement, GDPR compliance, and commercial contract review.
FAQ
Is there an official Claude Business plan?
No. Anthropic does not offer a plan called Claude Business. The term is commonly used to mean Claude Team — Anthropic’s entry-level business tier with a DPA, a 5-user minimum, and approximately €25 per user per month on annual billing.
What is Claude Team?
Claude Team is Anthropic’s entry-level business plan. It includes a Data Processing Addendum (DPA) under Article 28 GDPR, requires a minimum of 5 users, and costs approximately €25 per user per month on annual billing. It does not include SSO or audit logs — those features are only available in Claude Enterprise.
What is the difference between Claude Team and Claude Enterprise?
Claude Team is the base business tier with a DPA but without SSO or audit logs. Claude Enterprise is custom-quoted and adds SSO, audit logs, custom system prompts, a larger context window, and optional Zero-Data-Retention for organisations with stricter governance requirements.
Does Claude Business include a data processing agreement?
Claude Team and Claude Enterprise both include a DPA automatically in their commercial terms. Claude Free and Claude Pro do not include a DPA and are not suitable for business data processing under the GDPR.
How much does Claude for business cost?
Claude Team costs approximately €25 per user per month on annual billing, with a minimum of 5 users. Claude Enterprise is custom-quoted based on organisational requirements. Free and Pro tiers do not include a DPA and are not suitable for business use under the GDPR.
