Claude Max and Team plans now include monthly API credits
If you already pay for Claude Max or Team, Anthropic's help page says your plan now includes a monthly credit for the Claude API. The API is the way your own software talks to Claude directly. You can use it to build a small custom tool, such as an intake form helper, and try prompts in the Console Playground without adding a card. Anthropic says the credits do not cover interactive Claude Code sessions or extra usage in the Claude app.
- For
- Detroit creatives and small business owners who already subscribe to Claude Max or Team and want to experiment with building simple tools on the Claude API.
- Cost
- Included with eligible paid plans, per Anthropic: $100 per month on Max 5x and $200 per month on Max 20x. Team plans get $20 per Standard seat and $100 per Premium seat, pooled and capped at $500 per month. Discounted Nonprofit and Scientists Team plans get the same per-seat amounts. No payment method is needed to claim or use the credit. Credits refresh each billing cycle and do not roll over. If no purchased credits exist when they run out, API requests stop until the next cycle. Free, Pro, and Enterprise plans are not eligible.
- Access
- Requires an active Max or Team subscription in good standing for at least seven days. Max: you must be the subscriber. Team: you must be a Primary Owner or Owner. You also need the Owner, Admin, or Billing role in the Claude Console organization receiving the credits. You can link only one Console organization, and you cannot change it yourself without contacting support. Claim on claude.ai in a web browser. Anthropic says the rollout takes a few days.
Your moveIf you have been on Max or Team for seven days, open Settings > Billing on claude.ai (Team owners use Organization settings > Billing). Find the API credits section and choose the Console organization you actually plan to build in, because the link is hard to undo. Then test an idea in the Console Playground before this cycle's credits expire.
Start here