Claude 4 Deprecated: 13-Day Countdown — What You Need to Know
Claude 4 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4 are deprecated and retire June 15, 2026. You have 13 days to migrate. Here's exactly what changes, what it costs, and how to switch.
June 15 deadline: After this date, API calls to claude-4-opus and claude-sonnet-4 will return errors. Your API key still works — you just need to update the model name string.
What's Happening
Anthropic has officially deprecated Claude 4 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4. These models will be retired on June 15, 2026. After that date:
- API calls to
claude-4-opuswill fail - API calls to
claude-sonnet-4will fail - Your API key and SDK remain unchanged
- You just need to update the model name string in your code
The Timeline
- May 2026 — Anthropic announces Claude 4 deprecation
- Jun 1, 2026 — 14-day warning period begins
- Jun 2, 2026 — 13 days remaining (today)
- Jun 15, 2026 — Claude 4 Opus and Sonnet 4 retired
- Jun 16, 2026 — API calls to Claude 4 return errors
What Changes (and What Doesn't)
| Item | Status | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| API key | No change | None |
| SDK / libraries | No change | None |
| API endpoint | No change | None |
| Model name string | Changes | Update claude-4-opus → claude-opus-4-8 |
| Pricing | 67% cheaper | You save money automatically |
Calculate your exact savings: Use our free calculator to see what you'll pay after migration based on your actual token usage. Open the Claude Deprecation Calculator →
🚨 June 15 deadline: See all 34 alternatives, calculate your savings, and get migration code on our Claude 4 Deprecation Hub.
The Replacements
| Retiring | Replacement | Price | Context | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude 4 Opus | Claude Opus 4.8 | $5 / $25 | 200K → 1M | 67% cheaper |
| Claude Sonnet 4 | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | $3 / $15 | 200K → 1M | Same price, better |
How to Migrate
Migration is a one-line change. Find where you set the model name and update it:
Before (Claude 4 Opus)
model = "claude-4-opus"After (Claude Opus 4.8)
model = "claude-opus-4-8"That's it. Your API key, SDK, endpoint, and authentication all stay the same. Most teams complete this in under an hour.
Cost Comparison: Claude 4 vs Replacements
Here's what you'd pay for a typical workload (10M input tokens, 2M output tokens per month):
| Model | Input Cost | Output Cost | Monthly Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude 4 Opus (old) | $150 | $150 | $300 |
| Claude Opus 4.8 (new) | $50 | $50 | $100 |
| Claude Sonnet 4.6 | $30 | $30 | $60 |
| GPT-5 | $12.50 | $20 | $32.50 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro | $4.35 | $1.74 | $6.09 |
Deadline: June 15 — 13 days left
Compare all 34 alternatives to Claude 4. See exact costs, get migration code, and find the cheapest replacement.
Open Migration Tool → Step-by-Step Guide Deprecation Calculator Migration Cheat Sheet Cheapest LLM APIsFrequently Asked Questions
Is Claude 4 deprecated?
Yes. Claude 4 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4 are deprecated and will be retired on June 15, 2026. After that date, API calls to these model IDs will return errors.
When does Claude 4 stop working?
Claude 4 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4 will stop working on June 15, 2026. You have 13 days from June 2 to complete your migration.
What should I replace Claude 4 with?
The easiest replacement is Claude Opus 4.8 (67% cheaper) or Claude Sonnet 4.6 (same price, better context). For cross-provider alternatives, GPT-5 and DeepSeek V4 Pro are strong options.
How much does it cost to migrate?
Migration is free — it's just a model name string change. You'll actually save money: Claude Opus 4.8 is 67% cheaper than Claude 4 Opus.
Do I need a new API key?
No. Your existing Anthropic API key works with the new models. Just update the model name string in your code.
Related Resources
- Claude 4 Deprecation FAQ — Every question answered about the deprecation
- Claude 4 Deprecation Checklist — Step-by-step migration with interactive tracker
- Claude 4 Migration Tool — Compare all 34 alternatives with your exact usage
- Claude 4 Migration Guide — Step-by-step code examples and test checklist
- Claude Deprecation Calculator — Calculate your migration cost
- Best Claude 4 Alternatives — Compare all replacement options
- AI Model Deprecation Guide — How to handle model retirements
- LLM Pricing Comparison — Compare all 34 models
- Cost Calculator — Estimate your monthly spend