Quick Answer
Claude CLI and Claude Code are the same tool. Anthropic doesn't ship a separate "Claude CLI". People use the name for Claude Code, Anthropic's coding agent, because you start it with the claude command in a terminal.
So the real choice is between two things:
- Claude (claude.ai in the browser, plus the desktop and mobile apps): a chat assistant for questions, writing, documents and images. It only sees what you paste or upload.
- Claude Code: an agent that works inside your project. It reads and edits files, runs commands and tests, and uses git. It runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains, in the desktop app and on the web at claude.ai/code.
Paid Claude plans (Pro at $20/month and Max) include both. Claude Code can also run on an API key, billed per token, with no weekly cap.
No card at all? You can also top up with USDT, USDC or ETH: click Pay with crypto in the top-up dialog and send it from Binance, OKX or any wallet. The minimum is $5 and no browser extension is needed. Step by step: Pay for Claude and GPT APIs with crypto (USDT).
"Claude CLI" is Claude Code
You install Claude Code with npm and run it as claude:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude
That opens an interactive session in the current folder. For quick one-off questions there is print mode, which answers and exits, and accepts piped input:
claude -p "Explain what this regex matches: ^\d{3}-\d{4}$"
cat error.log | claude -p "What caused this error and how do I fix it?"
So a terminal "chat only" tool isn't needed: print mode covers quick questions, and the interactive session covers real work in a repository. You may also find community command-line chat clients that call themselves "Claude CLI". They aren't made by Anthropic and work differently from Claude Code.
Installation on each system, including native Windows: Install Claude CLI (Claude Code) on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Claude Code vs Claude on the web
| Claude (web, desktop and mobile apps) | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chat assistant | Coding agent |
| Where it runs | Browser, desktop app, iOS and Android | Terminal (claude), VS Code and JetBrains extensions, desktop app, claude.ai/code |
| Works with your project | Only files you upload or paste | Reads and edits the project, runs commands and tests, uses git |
| Good at | Research, writing, documents, images, planning | Building features, fixing bugs, refactoring, reviewing code |
| How you pay | Free plan, or Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise | Included with Pro and Max, or an API key billed per token |
| Asks before acting | Not needed: it only answers | Yes: you approve file edits and commands, or set permissions |
Many developers use both: they think a problem through in Claude chat, then let Claude Code make the changes in the repository.
What Claude Code does that chat can't
- Finds its way around the codebase. It searches and reads the files it needs, so you don't have to paste them in.
- Edits many files at once, keeping imports, types and tests consistent.
- Runs your tools. It runs builds, tests and linters, reads the output and fixes what fails.
- Works with git. It reads history, writes commit messages, creates branches and can open pull requests.
- Connects to other tools through MCP servers: databases, issue trackers, documentation, browsers.
The trade-off is that it needs a little setup and some judgment about what to let it run. For a first session, see Claude Code setup for beginners.
Subscription or API key
Claude Code works with either:
- A Claude subscription. Pro ($20/month) and Max ($100 or $200/month) include Claude Code, with 5-hour and weekly usage limits. Sign in with
/login. - An API key. You pay per token, with no 5-hour or weekly cap. One typical Claude Code task on Opus 5.5 costs about $0.50 at Anthropic's list price, and about $0.14 through TeamoRouter. Prices for every model are in Claude Code and Claude API pricing per model.
Which is cheaper depends on how much you use it: Claude subscription vs API pay-per-use works through the numbers.
October 2026: Anthropic suspended many Claude accounts used over a VPN from unsupported regions such as Russia and Hong Kong (SCMP). Running Claude Code on a TeamoRouter key doesn't use an Anthropic account, so those suspensions don't affect it. If your account was suspended, see Claude Code banned: what to do.
Run Claude Code with a TeamoRouter key
Create a key in the TeamoRouter dashboard, then:
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://api.teamorouter.com"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-teamorouter-key"
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-5-5"
claude
Don't add /v1 to the base URL; Claude Code adds the path itself. Switch models inside a session with /model. Windows steps and the ~/.claude/settings.json version are in the Claude Code setup guide. For the models themselves: Sonnet 5.5, Opus 5.5, Haiku 5.5.
FAQ
Is Claude CLI the same as Claude Code?
Yes. "Claude CLI" is another name for Claude Code, which you run with the claude command. Anthropic doesn't have a separate chat-only command-line product.
What is Claude CLI used for?
For the same things as Claude Code: working on a codebase from the terminal. For a single question without starting a session, use print mode: claude -p "your question".
Do I need Claude Pro to use Claude Code?
No. You can sign in with a Pro or Max plan, which include Claude Code, or use an API key and pay per token. The free Claude plan doesn't include Claude Code.
Can I use Claude Code without a terminal?
Yes. Besides the terminal, Claude Code runs in the VS Code and JetBrains extensions, in the Claude desktop app and on the web at claude.ai/code.
Is the Claude desktop app the same as Claude Code?
Not quite. The desktop app is mainly the Claude chat app. It also has a Code tab that runs Claude Code on your machine.
Can I use the same API key for Claude Code and my own scripts?
Yes. A TeamoRouter key works in Claude Code, in the Anthropic SDK and in other tools that let you set a base URL, all on one balance.
Can I pay for Claude Code usage with USDT?
Yes. Click Pay with crypto in the TeamoRouter top-up dialog and pay with USDT, USDC or ETH from any exchange app, from $5. No wallet extension needed. See how to pay for Claude with USDT. For running Claude Code on a USDT-funded balance, see how to pay for Claude Code with USDT.