Anthropic Claude API - $5 Free Credits
Source: https://console.anthropic.com/
Description
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+ 1 New developer accounts on console.anthropic.com can claim $5 in free API credits by verifying a phone number during signup. No credit card is required. The credits work across all available Claude models, including Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus. With $5 you can run roughly 5 million input tokens on Haiku 3 or 1 million input tokens on Opus 4.5 — enough for meaningful prototyping. The credits expire 14 days after activation, so claim them only when you are ready to build.
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+ 7 1. Go to console.anthropic.com
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+ 8 2. Click "Sign Up" — you can register with Google, Microsoft, Apple, or a plain email and password
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+ 9 3. Verify your email — check your inbox and click the confirmation link
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+ 10 4. Phone verification — enter a mobile phone number capable of receiving SMS. You will receive a six-digit code (may take up to 5 minutes)
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+ 11 5. After successful verification, a banner appears at the top of the Console dashboard
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+ 12 6. Click the "Claim" button on the banner to activate your $5 credit
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+ 13 7. Go to Settings > API Keys and generate your first API key
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+ 15 Important:
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+ 16 • VoIP numbers, Google Voice, app-generated numbers, and landlines are not accepted
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+ 17 • US-based phone numbers work reliably; UK numbers are explicitly excluded; other regions have variable eligibility
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+ 18 • You cannot change your phone number after verification — use a long-term number
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+ 19 • One free credit claim per account; creating multiple accounts violates the Terms of Service and risks a permanent ban
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+ 20 • The 14-day credit expiration clock starts when you click "Claim", not when you create the account
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+ 26 All Claude models are accessible with free credits. Choosing the right model determines how far your $5 goes.
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+ 27
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+ 28 ModelInput PriceOutput Price$5 Gets You (Input)
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+ 29 Claude Haiku 3$0.25 / MTok$1.25 / MTok~20M tokens
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+ 30 Claude Haiku 3.5$0.80 / MTok$4.00 / MTok~6.25M tokens
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+ 31 Claude Haiku 4.5$1.00 / MTok$5.00 / MTok~5M tokens
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+ 32 Claude Sonnet 4.5$3.00 / MTok$15.00 / MTok~1.67M tokens
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+ 33 Claude Sonnet 4$3.00 / MTok$15.00 / MTok~1.67M tokens
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+ 34 Claude Opus 4.5$5.00 / MTok$25.00 / MTok~1M tokens
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+ 35 Claude Opus 4.1$15.00 / MTok$75.00 / MTok~333K tokens
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+ 37 Tip: Start prototyping with Haiku 3 or 3.5 to stretch your credits. Switch to Sonnet or Opus only for tasks that need higher reasoning quality. Opus 4.1 burns through $5 very quickly.
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+ 43 New accounts without a deposit start at the Free usage tier:
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+ 44
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+ 45 • Monthly spend limit: $10 (your $5 credit fits within this)
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+ 46 • Requests per minute: ~5 RPM (varies by model)
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+ 47 • Input tokens per minute: ~20,000–50,000 ITPM depending on model
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+ 48 • Output tokens per minute: ~8,000–10,000 OTPM depending on model
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+ 50 To unlock higher limits, deposit $5 to reach Build Tier 1 (50 RPM, $100/month spend limit). The deposit is separate from free credits — it requires a credit card.
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+ 56 • Free credits expire 14 days after you click the "Claim" button
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+ 57 • Purchased credits expire 1 year from the purchase date
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+ 58 • All credit purchases are non-refundable
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+ 59 • After free credits are exhausted, you must prepay for additional credits (minimum $5 purchase) — there is no post-pay billing for standard accounts
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+ 60 • Credits are consumed by API calls, Workbench usage, and Claude Code
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+ 66 Even with $5, you can use Anthropic's cost-saving features:
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+ 68 FeatureSavingsNotes
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+ 69 Batch API50% off input and outputAsynchronous processing; results within 24 hours
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+ 70 Prompt Caching (5-min)Cache reads at 10% of input priceWrite cost is 1.25x base; great for repeated system prompts
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+ 71 Prompt Caching (1-hour)Cache reads at 10% of input priceWrite cost is 2x base; for longer sessions
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+ 72 Shorter promptsVariableWell-crafted prompts can reduce token usage by 50–80%
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+ 78 1. API calls return errors — you will not be charged automatically
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+ 79 2. You must purchase more credits (minimum $5) with a credit card to continue
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+ 80 3. There is no automatic billing or surprise charges — Anthropic uses a prepaid model
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+ 81 4. Your API keys, projects, and settings remain intact
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+ 87 • Anthropic Startup Program — $25,000 in credits for early-stage startups backed by partner VCs (Menlo Ventures, etc.). You cannot apply directly; your VC firm must be an Anthropic partner. Credits valid for 12 months
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+ 88 • Claude via AWS Bedrock — if you have AWS credits (e.g., via AWS Activate, up to $100K for startups), you can use Claude models through Amazon Bedrock without an Anthropic account
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+ 89 • Claude via Google Cloud Vertex AI — Google Cloud credits ($300 free trial or startup program credits up to $200K) can cover Claude API usage through Vertex AI
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+ 90 • Claude via Microsoft Foundry — Azure credits can also be used for Claude access
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+ 91 • Anthropic Fellows Program — 4-month research fellowship with ~$15K/month in compute funding and a stipend; aimed at AI safety researchers (next cohorts: May and July 2026)
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+ 92 • Claude Student Ambassador Program — campus program through Wasserman Next Gen; 10 weeks, 8 hours/week commitment
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+ 98 • Free Claude.ai access — if you just want to try Claude conversationally (not via API), claude.ai offers a free tier with daily usage limits. No credits needed
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+ 99 • Workbench counts — using the Workbench playground in the Console also consumes your API credits, not just direct API calls
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+ 100 • Do not use a VPN during signup — it can trigger security reviews and block credit claims
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+ 101 • Plan before claiming — since credits expire in 14 days, have your project and prompts ready before clicking "Claim"
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+ 102 • Region restrictions — the API is available in most countries including the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Mainland China and certain other jurisdictions are excluded. Full list at anthropic.com/supported-countries
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• Console URL has moved — some older guides reference console.anthropic.com; the platform is now also accessible at platform.claude.com
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+ 107 Sources:
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+ 108 • Anthropic API Pricing
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+ 109 • Anthropic Rate Limits
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+ 110 • Claude Phone Verification Help
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+ 111 • Claude API Free Credits Guide
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+ 112 • Anthropic Supported Countries
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+ 113 • Anthropic Startup Program
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+ 114 • Anthropic Fellows Program 2026
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+ 115 • Claude Plans & Pricing
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