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My Claude Code usage would have been $24k last month if I didn't have a max plan, at least according to Claude-Monitor. I've been using a tool I developed (htt

My Claude Code usage would have been $24k last month if I didn't have a max plan, at least according to Claude-Monitor. I've been using a tool I developed (https://github.com/stravu/crystal https://github.com/stravu/crystal) to run several sessions in parallel. Sometimes I will run the same prompt multiple times and pick the winner, or sometimes I'll be working on multiple features at once, reviewing and testing one while waiting on the others. Basically, with the right tooling you can burn tokens incredibly fast while still receiving a ton of value from them.

unshavedyak 1y ago
Max $100 or $200? I'm on $100 and i'm shocked how much usage i get out of Sonnet, while Opus feels like no usage at all. I barely even bother with Opus since most things i want to do just runout super quick.
- borgel 1y ago
  Interesting, I'm fairly new to using these tools and am starting with Claude Code but at the $20 level. Do you have any advice for when I would benefit from stepping up to $100? I'm not sure what gets better (besides higher usage limits).
  - vlade11115 1y ago
    I recently switched from Pro to $100 Max, and the only difference I've found so far is higher usage limits. Antropic tends to give shiny new features to Max users first, but as of now, there is nothing Max-only. For me, it's a good deal nonetheless, as even $100 Max limits are huge. While on Pro, I hit the limits each day that I used Claude Code. Now I rarely see the warning, but I never actually hit the limit.
  - unshavedyak 1y ago
    No clue as i've not used Claude Code on Pro to get an idea of usage limits. But, if you get value out of Claude Code and ever run into limits, Max is quite generous for Sonnet imo. I have zero concern about Sonnet usage atm, so it's definitely valuable there. Usage for Opus is my only "complaint", but i've used it so little i don't even know if it's that much better than Sonnet. As it is, even with more generous Opus limits i'd probably want a more advanced Claude Code behavior - where it uses Opus to plan and orchestrate, and Sonnet would do the grunt work for cheaper tokens. But i'm not aware of that as a feature atm. Regardless, i'm quite pleased with Claude Code on $100 Max. If it was a bit smarter i might even upgrade to $200, but atm it's too dumb to give it more autonomy and that's what i'd need for $200. Opus might be good enough there, but $100 Opus limits are so low i've not even gotten enough experience with it to know if it's good enough for $200
mccoyb 1y ago
Looked at your tool several times, but haven't answered this question for myself: does this tool fundamentally use the Anthropic API (not the normal MAX billing)? Presuming you built around the SDK -- haven't figured out if it is possible to use the SDK, but use the normal account billing (instead of hitting the API). Love the idea by the way! We do need new IDE features which are centered around switching between Git worktrees and managing multiple active agents per worktree. Edit: oh, do you invoke normal CC within your tool to avoid this issue and then post-process?
- Jonovono 1y ago
  Claude code has an SDK, where you specify the path to the CC executable. So I believe thats how this works. Once you have set up claude code in your environment and authed with however you like, this will just use that executable in a new UI
  - mccoyb 1y ago
    Interesting, the docs for auth don't mention it: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#authentication https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#authentic... Surprised that this works, but useful if true.
    - Jonovono 1y ago
      https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#typescript https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#typescrip... `pathToClaudeCodeExecutable`!
      - mccoyb 1y ago
        Thanks for showing!
qwertox 1y ago
Does Claude Max allow you to use 3rd-party tools with an API key?
BiteCode_dev 1y ago
There is no way those companies don't loose ton of money on max plans. I use and abuse mine, running multiple agents, and I know that I'd spend the entire month of fees in a few days otherwise. So it seems like a ploy to improve their product and capture the market, like usual with startups that hope for a winner-takes-all. And then, like uber or airbnb, the bait and switch will raise the prices eventually. I'm wondering when the hammer will fall. But meanwhile, let's enjoy the free buffet.
RobinL 1y ago
This is why unlimited plans are always revoked eventually - a small fraction of users can be responsible for huge costs (Amazon's unlimited file backup service is another good example). Also whilst in general I don't think there's much to worry about with AI energy use, burning $24k of tokens must surely be responsible for a pretty large amount of energy
- spacecadet 1y ago
  70,000,000 just last week ;P But based on my costs, yours sounds much much higher :)
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
- grafmax 1y ago
  > I don't think there's much to worry about with AI energy use AI is a large motivating factor in data center build outs, and data centers are projected to form an increasing portion of new energy usage. An individual query may not use much but the macro effect is quite serious, especially considering the climate crisis we are already failing to manage. It’s a bit like throwing plastic out your window on the highway and ignoring the garbage patch floating in the middle of the Pacific.
- octo888 1y ago
  It's possible they have 1,200 users paying $20/120 paying $200 barely even using it.
v5v3 1y ago
>My Claude Code usage would have been $24k last month if I didn't have a max plan, at least according to Claude-Monitor. In their dreams.

unshavedyak 1y ago

Max $100 or $200? I'm on $100 and i'm shocked how much usage i get out of Sonnet, while Opus feels like no usage at all. I barely even bother with Opus since most things i want to do just runout super quick.

borgel 1y ago
Interesting, I'm fairly new to using these tools and am starting with Claude Code but at the $20 level. Do you have any advice for when I would benefit from stepping up to $100? I'm not sure what gets better (besides higher usage limits).
- vlade11115 1y ago
  I recently switched from Pro to $100 Max, and the only difference I've found so far is higher usage limits. Antropic tends to give shiny new features to Max users first, but as of now, there is nothing Max-only. For me, it's a good deal nonetheless, as even $100 Max limits are huge. While on Pro, I hit the limits each day that I used Claude Code. Now I rarely see the warning, but I never actually hit the limit.
- unshavedyak 1y ago
  No clue as i've not used Claude Code on Pro to get an idea of usage limits. But, if you get value out of Claude Code and ever run into limits, Max is quite generous for Sonnet imo. I have zero concern about Sonnet usage atm, so it's definitely valuable there. Usage for Opus is my only "complaint", but i've used it so little i don't even know if it's that much better than Sonnet. As it is, even with more generous Opus limits i'd probably want a more advanced Claude Code behavior - where it uses Opus to plan and orchestrate, and Sonnet would do the grunt work for cheaper tokens. But i'm not aware of that as a feature atm. Regardless, i'm quite pleased with Claude Code on $100 Max. If it was a bit smarter i might even upgrade to $200, but atm it's too dumb to give it more autonomy and that's what i'd need for $200. Opus might be good enough there, but $100 Opus limits are so low i've not even gotten enough experience with it to know if it's good enough for $200

mccoyb 1y ago

Looked at your tool several times, but haven't answered this question for myself: does this tool fundamentally use the Anthropic API (not the normal MAX billing)? Presuming you built around the SDK -- haven't figured out if it is possible to use the SDK, but use the normal account billing (instead of hitting the API). Love the idea by the way! We do need new IDE features which are centered around switching between Git worktrees and managing multiple active agents per worktree. Edit: oh, do you invoke normal CC within your tool to avoid this issue and then post-process?

Jonovono 1y ago
Claude code has an SDK, where you specify the path to the CC executable. So I believe thats how this works. Once you have set up claude code in your environment and authed with however you like, this will just use that executable in a new UI
- mccoyb 1y ago
  Interesting, the docs for auth don't mention it: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#authentication https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#authentic... Surprised that this works, but useful if true.
  - Jonovono 1y ago
    https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#typescript https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#typescrip... `pathToClaudeCodeExecutable`!
    - mccoyb 1y ago
      Thanks for showing!

qwertox 1y ago

Does Claude Max allow you to use 3rd-party tools with an API key?

BiteCode_dev 1y ago

There is no way those companies don't loose ton of money on max plans. I use and abuse mine, running multiple agents, and I know that I'd spend the entire month of fees in a few days otherwise. So it seems like a ploy to improve their product and capture the market, like usual with startups that hope for a winner-takes-all. And then, like uber or airbnb, the bait and switch will raise the prices eventually. I'm wondering when the hammer will fall. But meanwhile, let's enjoy the free buffet.

RobinL 1y ago

This is why unlimited plans are always revoked eventually - a small fraction of users can be responsible for huge costs (Amazon's unlimited file backup service is another good example). Also whilst in general I don't think there's much to worry about with AI energy use, burning $24k of tokens must surely be responsible for a pretty large amount of energy

spacecadet 1y ago
70,000,000 just last week ;P But based on my costs, yours sounds much much higher :)
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
grafmax 1y ago
> I don't think there's much to worry about with AI energy use AI is a large motivating factor in data center build outs, and data centers are projected to form an increasing portion of new energy usage. An individual query may not use much but the macro effect is quite serious, especially considering the climate crisis we are already failing to manage. It’s a bit like throwing plastic out your window on the highway and ignoring the garbage patch floating in the middle of the Pacific.
octo888 1y ago
It's possible they have 1,200 users paying $20/120 paying $200 barely even using it.

v5v3 1y ago

>My Claude Code usage would have been $24k last month if I didn't have a max plan, at least according to Claude-Monitor. In their dreams.