Claude Code routines: what they run, their limits, and when a hosted agent fits
What the docs say a routine does, its caps and limits, and where a hosted agent fits next to it.
What does a Claude Code routine run, where does it stop, and when does a hosted agent fit next to it? Every statement about routines comes from Anthropic's documentation as we read it on September 24, 2026. We did not run a routine for this post, and Plori sells an alternative for some of this work.
The short answer
- A routine is a saved prompt, one or more GitHub repositories and a set of connectors, run in the cloud on a schedule, an HTTP call or a GitHub event. Routines are in research preview.
- Use a routine for repository work that ends in a branch or a pull request. It uses your subscription usage and a daily run cap.
- Consider a hosted agent next to it when the work has no repository, needs files that stay between runs, or must bill apart from your Claude plan.
Limits listed in the docs
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Shortest schedule interval | 1 hour |
| Daily run cap | Per account, in addition to usage limits |
| GitHub events | Hourly caps during the preview |
| Sharing | Not shared with teammates |
/schedule |
Needs a claude.ai subscription login |
The docs do not print the daily cap. Anthropic's launch post of April 14, 2026 gave 5 runs per day on Pro, 15 on Max, and 25 on Team and Enterprise.
When it applies
- A run has no permission-mode picker. It uses every tool from an included connector, including writes, without asking. A green status does not mean the task in your prompt succeeded, so read the transcript.
- Each run clones the repositories again and starts a new session. The docs do not describe a working directory that stays from one run to the next.
- A routine is the better choice when you already pay for a Claude plan and stay under its limits, or when the task needs the connectors on your claude.ai account.
The full post has the headless mode comparison, a six-step docs-drift setup, and how to call a Plori agent from Claude Code over MCP.