How to Use Claude AI in China in 2026: Registration, Subscription, and API Guide

Claude overview and pricing

Claude is an AI assistant from Anthropic, known for strong code generation and complex reasoning. Official plans (as of 2026) are:

Free account – $0/month, limited daily messages.

Claude Pro – $20/month (≈145 CNY), higher limits and priority access.

Claude Max 5× – $100/month (≈725 CNY), five‑times the Pro usage quota.

Claude Max 20× – $200/month (≈1450 CNY), twenty‑times the Pro quota.

Claude Team – $25 per user/month (≈180 CNY), team collaboration.

Three barriers for mainland China users

Network : Claude’s website is blocked; a stable VPN with a fixed US IP is required.

Registration : A foreign virtual phone number is needed to receive the verification code; domestic numbers cannot be used.

Payment : Claude Pro ($20/month) does not accept Chinese credit cards. Previously virtual cards from Wildcard were used, but the service stopped in July 2025.

Step‑by‑step account registration

Prepare a Gmail address, a foreign virtual phone number, and a stable VPN (single US node).

Open https://claude.ai and click “Continue with email” (or use Google login).

Enter the verification code sent to the Gmail inbox.

Enter the foreign phone number, request a verification code from a service such as Hero‑SMS or sms‑activate, and submit the code.

Complete the registration; a free account will be created.

Subscription options for Claude Pro in China

Pre‑configured account : Purchase a ready‑to‑use Claude Pro account from a third‑party platform (suitable for heavy users).

Recharge existing account : Use a service that tops up your existing Claude account (≈216‑230 CNY/month).

Seat sharing : Share a Pro seat with other users (cost‑effective for light usage, limited request quota).

Developer‑focused solution : Use Claude Code via the Code80 service, which provides an API endpoint without requiring a foreign credit card.

Developer’s optimal solution: using Claude API directly

Developers often need Claude beyond the web UI (Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, custom scripts). The official Pro subscription is priced for web use; API calls are billed per token and can become expensive at high volume. Two main barriers remain for Chinese developers: the need for an overseas credit card and a stable network.

Code80 offers a genuine Anthropic subscription that can be accessed via a custom endpoint, eliminating the need for a foreign card and reducing network complications. Usage is pay‑as‑you‑go.

# Install Claude Code CLI
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Run with Code80 endpoint
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.code80.vip claude

In other tools (e.g., Cursor, Cline, custom scripts) replace the base_url with https://api.code80.vip. More details are available at https://code.ai80.vip.

Account ban risks and mitigation

Claude applies strict risk controls to Chinese IPs. Common triggers include:

Unstable or frequently switched IPs.

Reused phone numbers for verification.

Abnormal payment attempts (e.g., repeated credit‑card failures).

Rapid bursts of identical requests (automation patterns).

To lower the risk:

Use the same US VPN node continuously; do not switch nodes.

Avoid frequent logins/logouts across multiple devices.

Maintain a stable network connection.

Do not send large volumes of duplicate requests in a short period.

API usage via Code80 or the official Anthropic API reduces ban risk because requests are programmatic and bypass the front‑end risk checks.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Are Chinese credit cards completely unusable? Yes. Visa/Mastercard‑branded domestic cards are blocked by Claude’s payment system; repeated attempts may trigger additional account risk.

Q: Can Hong Kong users access Claude? Hong Kong is not subject to the Great Firewall, but Claude still requires a foreign phone number and credit card for registration and subscription.

Q: Is the free tier sufficient? It is adequate for casual exploration, but daily message limits quickly become restrictive for regular work.

Q: What can Claude Code do? Claude Code is an AI programming agent that can read/write local files, execute terminal commands, refactor across files, run tests, and debug errors, all driven by natural‑language prompts. It works via a CLI or VS Code extensions.

Q: What is the easiest way for Chinese developers to use Claude Code? Using Code80’s API endpoint provides the smoothest experience without needing an overseas credit card or complex network setup.