Short answer
Checked against Anthropic's help center on November 4, 2026:
- Claude Pro, Max and Ultra (claude.ai): on the web, Anthropic accepts credit or debit cards only. If you subscribe in the Claude app for iOS or Android, the Apple App Store or Google Play handles payment with their own options.
- Claude API (Claude Console): you buy prepaid credits by card on the Console's Billing page. Credits expire one year after purchase and aren't refundable. Monthly invoicing, which also accepts ACH bank transfer, is only for organizations set up through Anthropic's sales team.
- Not accepted: third-party payment processors such as PayPal or Venmo.
- No card that works? You can still use Claude models over the API through a gateway. TeamoRouter takes cards and USDT, USDC or ETH, from $5, and bills per token. This pays for API usage, not for a claude.ai subscription.
Get an API key: top up from $5 by card or USDT and call Claude Opus, Sonnet and Haiku with one key.
New accounts start with a $0 balance — top up before your first request. Top up from $5. If a request returns 402 (400 on the OpenAI format) with "wallet balance is insufficient", your balance is empty — your base URL and key are fine. Top up and retry.
Paying for Claude Pro, Max and Ultra
From Anthropic's paid plan billing FAQs:
- On the web, subscriptions are paid by credit or debit card. Your cards are under Settings → Billing, where you can add a card, set one as default or remove one. A saved card may be charged if your default card is declined, so remove any card you don't want used.
- In the Claude iOS or Android app, the subscription is billed by the Apple App Store or Google Play. You manage the payment method, receipts and cancellation in your app store account, not in Claude.
If your card is declined, Anthropic's card-declined article lists the usual causes: an unsupported payment method, insufficient funds, or a verification step from your bank. Claude is also only offered in supported regions. For the common fixes, see Claude card declined: payment fixes.
Paying for the Claude API
From Anthropic's guide to paying for API usage:
- Log in to the Claude Console with an Admin or Billing role.
- Open the Billing page (
platform.claude.com/settings/billing) and click Buy credits. - Enter the amount and confirm. The credits are available immediately and cover the API, the playground and Claude Code.
A few rules to know:
- Auto-reload can buy credits automatically when your balance falls below a threshold you set.
- Only successful requests are charged. A request that was on track to succeed is still charged if your client disconnects or times out partway through.
- Credits expire one year after purchase, and the expiry can't be extended. All credit purchases are non-refundable.
- Monthly invoicing is for organizations with an arrangement through Anthropic's sales team: you receive a Stripe invoice at the end of each calendar month.
- Max, Ultra and Team plans include monthly API credits once you link a Console organization. They're spent before purchased credits, expire at the end of each billing cycle, and can't be used in Claude Code or the Claude apps.
Subscription or API: which one are you paying for?
A Claude subscription pays for the Claude apps (and Claude Code within your plan's limits). The API is billed per token and is what your own code, scripts and tools such as Claude Code on an API key use. They are billed separately, so paying for one doesn't cover the other. For a cost comparison, see Claude subscription vs API pay-per-use.
Paying for Claude models without a card that works
If Anthropic doesn't accept your card, or your card is declined at checkout, you can use the same Claude models through an API gateway:
- TeamoRouter gives you one API key for Claude, GPT, Gemini and other models, with Anthropic-compatible and OpenAI-compatible endpoints.
- Top up from $5 by card, or send USDT, USDC or ETH from an exchange app or wallet (step by step). You pay only for the tokens you use, with no subscription.
- Claude Code works with the same key: set
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.teamorouter.comand your key inANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN(setup guide).
This covers API usage. It doesn't buy or renew a claude.ai Pro, Max or Ultra subscription. Current prices are on the pricing page.
FAQ
Can I pay for Claude with PayPal?
No. Anthropic says it doesn't accept third-party payment processors such as PayPal or Venmo.
Can I pay for Claude with a debit card?
Yes. Anthropic accepts credit and debit cards for Pro, Max and Ultra on the web and for API credits.
Can I pay for Claude Pro with crypto?
Not through Anthropic. You can pay for Claude API usage in USDT through a gateway such as TeamoRouter (how), but that doesn't pay for a claude.ai subscription.
Do Claude API credits expire?
Yes, one year from the purchase date, and purchases aren't refundable.
Does Claude Pro include API credits?
Anthropic lists monthly API credits for Max, Ultra and Team plans, not Pro. They can't be used in Claude Code or the Claude apps.