Hey folks,
I’m not a developer - more of a researcher who codes occasionally, mostly as a hobby or to explore ideas. I’ve used Claude Code and really like what it can do, especially with complex coding prompts. But I just can’t justify $200/month for Claude Max (Opus) for something I might use 3–4 hours per week at most.
Right now I’m on Claude Pro (Sonnet), but for heavier coding tasks it starts to fall short.
Recently I discovered Zen MCP, which looks promising - especially the ability to plug in custom models like Gemini or O3 via API. I’m wondering:
Is it smarter to just use Claude Code using API and pay per usage?
Can I plug Claude Opus into Zen (or similar setups) and only fire it up when needed?
Are there other MCP stacks that are worth exploring and I'm missing it?
I’m basically searching for a low-cost workflow to still access Claude Code at full power, but without being locked into a full Max subscription as I won’t fully use it.
If anyone has faced the same challenge — wanting Claude Code’s strengths without the full price - I’d love to hear how you solved it. Tips, setups, hacks, all welcome.
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i freaking thought it was connected to the claude plus, BUT IT WAS PULLING FROM THE API AND IT WAS LIKE $5 FOR 2-3 QUERIES! DONT END UP LIKE ME OR WORSE, USE CLAUDE CODE THINKING IT WONT CHARGE YOU EXTRA!
Hey everyone,
Since Claude Code has been around for a while now and many of us are already familiar with Claude Sonnet 3.7, I wanted to share a quick step-by-step guide for those who haven’t had time to explore it yet.
This guide sums up everything you need to know about Claude Code, including:
How to install and set it up
The benefits and when to use it
A demo of its capabilities in action
Some Claude Code essential commands
I think Claude Code is a better alternative to coding assistants like Cursor and Bolt, especially for developers who want an AI that really understands the entire codebase instead of just suggesting lines.
https://medium.com/p/how-to-install-and-use-claude-code-the-new-agentic-coding-tool-d03fd7f677bc?source=social.tw
Is there a way to use Claude AI for free? I primarily use it for writing code, and it performs better than all the other available options. However, after 3-4 chats, it prompts me to subscribe. I currently have six accounts that I use alternately, but the context from the initial prompts gets lost when switching between them. Is there any way to use it completely for free? I can’t really afford the subscription right now. yes, the classic Indian problem. Haha