What is Claude Duet? It is a new app where Claude works as a proactive agent that you message like a person. As of 22 October 2026 it is a research preview for paid US users, and access is by invitation. It brings you what needs your attention, carries on while you are busy elsewhere and checks with you before it acts.
Duet is Anthropic’s new app, and this guide covers what it does, who can get in, how to join, its limits and how it differs from Cowork. Every fact comes from the maker’s own pages, read on 22 October, apart from one press note that is labelled. DigitaVision is not affiliated with Anthropic.
Key insights and takeaways
- Access opens in waves, and Anthropic says features can change at this stage.
- It is for subscribers in the US on a paid plan, with an invitation. Team and Enterprise plans are not included yet.
- It costs nothing extra for now, but it uses your existing usage limits, background work included.
- It asks before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything.
What it is and how it works
The help article calls it “a research preview of Claude that you message the way you’d message a person.” You type or speak, and it works in the apps you have connected. It is built for professionals and small business owners.
Your memory, skills and connected apps carry over from your account, so setup is light. Duet runs on its own virtual machine, a cloud computer with its own browser, so it does not need your laptop or phone to be on. The usual app waits for you to open a chat, while Duet comes to you first and starts work instead of waiting.
What the Duet app can do
- Duet’s daily brief: a short summary of the most important items across your apps, plus first steps such as drafted replies for you to review.
- Quiet monitoring: it messages you only when something needs you. The launch post says Duet checks your connected accounts every few hours, because checking nonstop would use up your limits.
- Tasks of all sizes: from scheduling meetings to building dashboards, financial or sales forecasts, prototypes and web apps. Bigger results return as files you can edit, such as a deck or a financial model.
- Apps: Gmail and Slack, QuickBooks, Stripe, HubSpot, Docusign, Canva and more, from over 6,000 connectors and plugins. It can clear your inbox, check for unpaid invoices and draft the reminders, or draft a job posting that goes to LinkedIn once you approve it.
- Purchases: through Stripe’s Link or Shop Pay, with a one-time card for each purchase.
Who can use it, and what does it cost?
To use Duet you need a Pro or Max plan, an account in the US and an invitation. You may not be in yet because invitations go out in waves or the email you gave does not match your account.
It is included in the plan at no extra cost, using the five-hour and weekly limits at the same rate as chats. The launch post says its background checks count toward those limits, so you may reach them sooner. On admission you get one full limit reset, available until 30 November 2026. For plan prices, read our plans guide.
How to join the waitlist
The list runs from the product page, and these steps follow the help article.
- Select the join button and enter your name and the email on your account.
- Choose your plan and phone type, iPhone or Android.
- Select “Submit” and wait for the email that says it is your turn.
- Open that email on your phone, follow the setup steps and sign in.
Access is tied to the email you gave, and joining guarantees no date.
iOS and Android apps, and the web
The launch post and product page describe standalone apps for iPhone and Android and a version on claude.ai. The help article mentions only the phone apps, so confirm on your invitation.
Limits and risks at this stage
- You cannot choose a model, watch its browser or take it over.
- It cannot see the files on your computer, and it does not call or text other people.
- Trading securities, moving money between accounts and accessing someone else’s account are off-limits even with your approval.
- Microsoft 365 is not available yet, and Slack works with limits.
- The launch post says it “still might misread a thread or miscalibrate what’s urgent,” and that personal errands such as booking tickets are weaker.
It reads email and web pages that may hide instructions meant to mislead it, which is called prompt injection. The help article says “no defense is perfect,” which is why sensitive actions wait for you to confirm. The launch post adds a new classifier designed to reject requests to share card numbers and government ID, and Anthropic said it will keep tuning it based on what testers tell it. Check the privacy policy before you connect your email, and review every draft before you confirm it, because an agent can misjudge a thread.
Duet vs Cowork
The Cowork help article says Cowork “brings Claude Code’s agentic capabilities to knowledge work beyond coding.” You start a task yourself and describe the outcome.
| Point | This app | Cowork |
|---|---|---|
| Style | You message it; it also reaches out to you | You start a task from the message box |
| Status | Early, by invitation | Available on paid plans |
| Plans | Pro or Max, US only | Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise |
| Where | Phone apps and the web | Desktop for macOS and Windows, web, mobile, Chrome side panel |
| Local files | Cannot see files on your computer | Desktop can read and write local files |
| Recurring work | Morning brief and check-ins | Scheduled tasks you create |
| Approvals | Asks before sending, paying, signing, deleting | Manual, Auto and Skip modes |
Cowork is moving into one unified experience, so your message box may not show the old “Cowork” button. The Cowork help article has the current steps.
How the press frames it
The Verge describes the new app as a competitor to Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s Dots, which we do not cover here.
Who it is for, and who should wait
It suits a US user whose day is email, calendar and documents, such as a small business owner who wants a brief and drafts to approve. Wait if you are outside the US, or need Microsoft 365, local files or model choice. For a chatbot comparison, see this Perplexity comparison.
Where DigitaVision fits
DigitaVision does not sell this app and has no product that gives access to it. It lists other AI tools at its tools page, with prices in USD or BDT and support every day from 8 AM to 3 AM Bangladesh time. The Perplexity group buy is a separate assistant if you want one while you wait.
Is Claude Duet worth joining?
If you qualify, yes: the list is free and the app is included in your plan. Expect a wait, start with low-risk jobs and watch your limits.
FAQ
How do I join the Claude Duet waitlist, and is it available outside the US?
Not yet. It is US-only and needs a US account on Pro or Max.
How much does it cost?
Nothing extra for now. It uses your plan’s limits, background work included.
Is it the same as Cowork?
No. Cowork is a task tool you start yourself, on several plans. This one is a messaging assistant by invitation in the US.
Can it use my computer’s files?
No. The help article says it cannot see all your projects or the files on your computer.
