Claude Code

What it's good for

• 1

  Multi-file refactors driven from the terminal in an existing repo

• 2

  Running the test suite, reading failures, and fixing what broke

• 3

  Executing a described task end to end (edit, run, verify, commit)

• 4

  Working across a large codebase where whole-repo context matters

• 5

  Delegating repetitive engineering chores you would rather not do by hand

Pricing

• Claude Pro

  Runs Claude Code on a Pro plan

  $20/mo

• Claude Max

  Higher limits, up to $200 a month

  $100/mo

• API (Sonnet)

  $15 per M output tokens

  $3/M in

• API (Opus)

  $25 per M output tokens

  $5/M in

How to use it

Point Claude Code at a repo from your terminal and describe the task. It reads the relevant files, proposes and applies edits across the codebase, runs commands and tests, and surfaces the result for you to review before committing. Run it on a Claude Pro or Max plan if you already have one, or on the API when per-token billing fits your volume. Review agent edits before trusting them on production code.

Pros & cons

Frequently asked questions

• How much does Claude Code cost?

  Claude Code is not sold on its own. It runs on an existing Claude plan (Pro at $20 a month, or Max at $100 to $200 a month for higher limits), or on API pay-per-token pricing (Sonnet at $3 in / $15 out and Opus at $5 in / $25 out per million tokens). Which route is cheaper depends on how much you use it.

• Claude Code vs Cursor: what is the difference?

  Cursor is an AI-first code editor, a fork of VS Code with AI in every surface. Claude Code is a terminal-first autonomous agent that also has IDE extensions. Cursor keeps you in the editor with inline edits and chat; Claude Code is built to run commands, edit across many files, and commit on its own. Pick Cursor for editor-centric work, Claude Code for hands-off multi-step tasks.

• What is Claude Code best for?

  Agentic work in an existing codebase: multi-file refactors, running tests and fixing what breaks, and executing a described task end to end from the terminal. It reads a whole repo for context, makes the edits, runs the commands, and can commit the result, which suits larger jobs you would rather delegate than babysit.

• Does Claude Code work in my IDE?

  Yes. It runs in the terminal and also ships IDE extensions, so you can use it inside your editor or as a standalone command-line agent. It is distinct from editor-embedded assistants like Cursor and Copilot and from scratch-built app builders like v0, Lovable, and Bolt.

• Do I need an API key or a subscription?

  Either works. You can run Claude Code against a Claude Pro or Max subscription, or against the Anthropic API with pay-per-token billing. Teams that already pay for a Claude plan can often start there before deciding whether API metering fits their volume better.

More

• Claude Code overview
• Claude Code docs

Alternatives to Claude Code

Other tools we'd consider for the same job.

• Cursor

  AI-first code editor. Chat with your codebase, auto-apply edits, and let the agent tackle multi-file refactors

• Aider

  Terminal-first AI pair programmer. Open source, bring your own API key, edits your git repo and commits each change

• GitHub Copilot

  Inline AI autocomplete + agent mode inside VS Code, JetBrains, and the GitHub web editor. The category-defining incumbent

Other Code tools

• Cursor

  AI-first code editor. Chat with your codebase, auto-apply edits, and let the agent tackle multi-file refactors

• Cline

  Open-source agentic coding agent for VS Code that plans, edits across files, and runs commands with your approval

• Devin

  Autonomous software engineer that plans, codes, runs commands, and ships a whole task without a human at the keyboard

• Aider

  Terminal-first AI pair programmer. Open source, bring your own API key, edits your git repo and commits each change