Claude Code - Pricing, Usage, Limits Thoughts

Should i use Claude Code with API or Claude Pro/Max subscriptions

If you already have Claude Pro/Max subscription(the web chat one), use that with Claude code. If not, and you are just kicking the tires on Claude code for one off time and never touch it again, just use it with API.

I am a small time dev and will use it for few hours every week

Get the Claude Pro subscription. API usage will be too expensive for you.

I work with big repos and will be using it every day for multiple hours

Stay away from using Claude Code with API, unless you want to owe Anthropic 1000s of USD every month. Just get the Claude Max subscription. If you are see yourself running out of quota too soon, upgrade to Max 20x, which is only double the price of Max 5x

Tips for not consuming the quota too soon

• Minimize usage of Claude Web client from the same account. Web client eats up quota really fast.

• Stick to Sonnet 4 model

• compact the context

• give more thought into writing prompts so that it doesn’t have re-do work and end up using quota sooner.