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CLAUDE CODE GUIDE

What to do when Claude Code hits its usage limit.

Keep using Claude Code after you hit a usage limit by switching to a prepaid Outrun key.

Last updated:

Before you start

Have your API key and some Outrun credit ready. Keep your key private.

Get your API keyCheck balanceChoose a model

Copy-paste switch

Replace KEY with your Outrun key. These lines apply only to the terminal you run them in, so closing it switches you back.

Terminal (this window only)
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://api.outrun.to"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-5-5"
claude
Connection settingsShow
Connection settings
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL: https://api.outrun.to
Key variable: ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN
Model variable: ANTHROPIC_MODEL

Get your key from Outrun → API keys and enter it privately in the app or local settings. Test with “Reply with OK only.” Tests use credit; check Activity before retrying.

Setup Steps

  1. 1
    Get a key and add credit

    Create an API key in Outrun → API keys and add credit on Balance. Keep the key private.

    Get your API key
  2. 2
    Set two variables

    In a terminal, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.outrun.to (no /v1) and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your Outrun key, as in the copy-paste block.

  3. 3
    Choose a model

    Set ANTHROPIC_MODEL to a Claude model ID such as claude-sonnet-5-5 or claude-opus-5-5. Each has a lower-cost route 2: add -2 to the ID.

  4. 4
    Start Claude Code and check

    Run claude, then /status. It should show https://api.outrun.to as the base URL. Send a short message to confirm; it uses Outrun credit.

  5. 5
    Switch back after the reset

    When your plan resets, close that terminal, or remove the two variables if you saved them in a profile, and open a new one. Claude Code uses your saved login again; if it does not, run /login.

What the limit is

Pro and Max plans include a five-hour session limit and a weekly limit, shared between Claude and Claude Code. When you reach one, Claude Code shows a message with the reset time, and /usage shows where you stand.

Your plan can also offer usage credits or an upgrade. Requests sent with your Outrun key are billed from your Outrun balance and do not count toward your plan’s limits.

Claude Code with Pro or Max plansClaude Code usage limit messages

Switch in a few minutes

The copy-paste block above switches one terminal. To make the switch permanent, or to set the Opus, Sonnet and Haiku model slots, follow the full setup guide. To use tested DeepSeek or GPT models in Claude Code, see the other-models guide.

Claude Code custom base URL setupUse Claude Code with other models

What it costs

Prices per 1M tokens from the live price list as of October 29, 2026, 4:34 PM ET.

Example workload: 2,000,000 input tokens and 100,000 output tokens with no prompt-cache discount. Real sessions vary; Activity shows the exact tokens and charge of every request. Prices as of October 29, 2026, 4:34 PM ET; totals are rounded up to the cent.

ModelModel IDInput / 1MOutput / 1MExample cost
Claude Opus 5.5claude-opus-5-5$2.24$11.20$5.60
Claude Opus 5.5 (2)claude-opus-5-5-2$0.80$4.00$2.00
Claude Sonnet 5.5claude-sonnet-5-5$0.49$2.45$1.23
Claude Sonnet 5.5 (2)claude-sonnet-5-5-2$0.40$2.00$1.00
Claude Haiku 5.5claude-haiku-5-5$0.084 (up to 100k tokens)$0.42 (up to 100k tokens)$0.21
Claude Haiku 5.5 (2)claude-haiku-5-5-2$0.02$0.10$0.05

Common errors and fixes

Interrupted request or uncertain charge

Check Activity first. Keep the request ID for support; never include your key in a message or screenshot.

Contact @outrunsupport

Frequently asked questions

Does switching affect my Claude plan?

No. While ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN holds your Outrun key, Claude Code sends requests to Outrun and they do not count toward your plan’s limits. Remove the variables to use your plan again.

When does the limit reset?

Claude Code shows the reset time in the limit message. Run /usage inside Claude Code to see your current usage.

Which model should I choose?

Use the same Claude models you already know: claude-opus-5-5, claude-sonnet-5-5 or claude-haiku-5-5. Add -2 to any of them for the lower-cost route 2.

How much does it cost?

With the example workload of 2,000,000 input and 100,000 output tokens, the Claude models cost from $0.05 (claude-haiku-5-5-2) to $5.60 (claude-opus-5-5) at prices as of October 29, 2026, 4:34 PM ET.

Does Outrun keep my code or prompts?

Outrun does not store your prompts, images or outputs unless you choose to save them.