Use Claude Code with your Pro or Max plan (original) (raw)

This article applies to individual consumers using Pro or Max plan subscriptions to access Claude Code. If you’re a member of a Team or Enterprise plan organization, see Use Claude Code with your Team or Enterprise plan.

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is a coding tool that gives you access to Claude models directly in your terminal or supported IDE, allowing you to delegate complex coding tasks while maintaining transparency and control. With Pro and Max plans, you now have access to both Claude on the web, desktop, and mobile apps and Claude Code in your terminal with one unified subscription.

Why use Claude and Claude Code?

Use two powerful AI products in one simple subscription.

How to connect Claude Code to your Pro or Max plan

Having trouble using your Pro or Max plan to access Claude Code?

If you're not seeing the option to authenticate with your preferred account, follow these steps to update Claude Code:

Use Claude Code in your IDE

Your Pro or Max plan also covers Claude Code in supported IDEs, including VS Code, Cursor and other VS Code forks, and JetBrains IDEs like IntelliJ and PyCharm. Log in with the same Claude credentials you use in the terminal. IDE usage counts toward the same usage limits shared across Claude and Claude Code.

To install and set up the extension for your IDE, see Platforms and integrations in our Claude Code Docs.

What happens when you hit usage limits

Both Pro and Max plans offer usage limits that are shared across Claude and Claude Code, meaning all activity in both tools counts against the same usage limits. To help you monitor your usage, you will see warning messages about remaining capacity.

When you reach your usage limits, you can select from a few options based on your needs:

Pro plan users

Max plan users

Claude Code billing

Understanding two distinct systems

It's important to recognize these are separate systems:

Choosing to use API credits

If you want to use API credits through Claude Code:

Staying within your plan

To maintain usage strictly within your Pro or Max Plan allocation:

Opting out of API credits for Claude Code

If you prefer to prevent the API credit option from appearing entirely:

This ensures Claude Code will only use your plan allocation and you won't be prompted to use API credits when you reach your limits.

Managing auto-reload settings

Auto-reload functionality is managed within your Claude Console account, not through Claude Code:

Summary

What is the Pro plan?What is the Max plan?Use Claude Code with your Team or Enterprise plan Manage usage credits for paid Claude plans Use the Claude Agent SDK with your Claude plan