Can I use Claude Code without an Anthropic Max plan?

Yes. Claude Code is the harness. Sideren is the backend. Set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.sideren.io and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your sdn_ key. You are billed by Sideren, not Anthropic.

Does GLM work inside Claude Code?

Yes. Point Claude Code at Sideren and set ANTHROPIC_MODEL to a GLM id from the catalog (for example @sdn/glm-5.3). The Messages dialect is native — no local proxy.

How is this cheaper than Claude Code Max?

Anthropic Max is a seat on Anthropic's own models. A Sideren plan gives you monthly credits to spend across GLM, MiniMax, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen and flagship models, from $5. Higher tiers add broader catalog and premium execution access.

Is this the same as OpenRouter for Claude Code?

OpenRouter is a pay-as-you-go supermarket of hundreds of models. Sideren is a coding plan: a flat monthly pool, an installer that writes Claude Code / Codex / Cline config, and an API built for hour-long agent loops. Same ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL trick, different product.

What do I set for ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL?

https://api.sideren.io — the origin only. Do not append /v1. Claude Code adds /v1/messages itself. Put the key in ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, not ANTHROPIC_API_KEY.

Claude Code

Run Claude Code cheaper.
Same harness.

Claude Code is the agent. Sideren is the backend. Four environment variables — or one command — connect the loop to GLM, MiniMax, Kimi, DeepSeek or Claude, with paid plans from $5 per month. Model access and usage depend on your plan.

Get a key See plans

200 free credits · no card · npx sideren setup --tool claude-code

Setup[01/04]

Point Claude Code here. Keep the harness.

Claude Code speaks the Anthropic Messages dialect. Sideren serves that dialect natively — no local proxy, no Claude Code Router. The base URL is the origin only; Claude Code appends /v1/messages itself.

ONE COMMAND

npx sideren setup --tool claude-code

OR FOUR VARIABLES

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.sideren.io
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sdn_your_key
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="@sdn/glm-5.3"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL="@sdn/glm-5.3-flash"

01
Get a key
Sign up at sideren.io. The free plan includes 200 free credits. Paid coding plans start at $5/month.
02
Point Claude Code at Sideren
Run npx sideren setup --tool claude-code, or set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.sideren.io and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your sdn_ key.
03
Pick a model
Set ANTHROPIC_MODEL to a catalog id such as @sdn/glm-5.3, and ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL to a fast model such as @sdn/glm-5.3-flash for helper calls.
04
Start Claude Code
Run claude. If you were logged into Anthropic before, run /logout once so the gateway token is used.

Full Claude Code guide →

Against the shelf[02/04]

The buyer is already shopping coding plans.

GLM Lite, MiniMax Token Plan, OpenCode Go, ClinePass, OpenRouter — that is the shelf. Sideren sits on it as the one key that is not locked to a single lab or a single harness.

Plan	Entry	What you actually get
Anthropic Max	$100–$200/mo	Claude only. Seat + usage windows. Hits a wall mid-sprint.
GLM / MiniMax coding plan	$10–$18/mo	One lab's models. Fine until you want Claude, GPT, or a second harness.
OpenRouter	PAYG + fee	Every model, no installer, no monthly pool. A supermarket, not a coding plan.
Sideren	$5 / $19 / $49	One key. Claude Code native. GLM, MiniMax, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen, Claude, GPT. Sixteen harnesses.

Coding plans compared →

Models that hold a loop[03/04]

Pick the model. Keep the agent.

Swap ANTHROPIC_MODEL any time. Helper calls stay on a flash model so the expensive id only spends on the turns that need it.

@sdn/glm-5.3

Daily driver: the newest GLM, built for long agent runs, 1M context.

@sdn/minimax-m3.1-flash

MiniMax's newest coding model, 1M context, several tool calls a turn.

@sdn/kimi-k2.7-code

Moonshot coding weights, same harness.

sonnet-5.5

Anthropic when the turn is actually hard. Max and Scale.

Still signed into Anthropic from before? Run /logout once so Claude Code picks up ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN. 404s usually mean you appended /v1 to the base URL. Codex CLI uses the same key on the OpenAI dialect.

Frequently asked[04/04]

Can I use Claude Code without an Anthropic Max plan?: Yes. Claude Code is the harness. Sideren is the backend. Set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.sideren.io and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your sdn_ key. You are billed by Sideren, not Anthropic.
Does GLM work inside Claude Code?: Yes. Point Claude Code at Sideren and set ANTHROPIC_MODEL to a GLM id from the catalog (for example @sdn/glm-5.3). The Messages dialect is native — no local proxy.
How is this cheaper than Claude Code Max?: Anthropic Max is a seat on Anthropic's own models. A Sideren plan gives you monthly credits to spend across GLM, MiniMax, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen and flagship models, from $5. Higher tiers add broader catalog and premium execution access.
Is this the same as OpenRouter for Claude Code?: OpenRouter is a pay-as-you-go supermarket of hundreds of models. Sideren is a coding plan: a flat monthly pool, an installer that writes Claude Code / Codex / Cline config, and an API built for hour-long agent loops. Same ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL trick, different product.
What do I set for ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL?: https://api.sideren.io — the origin only. Do not append /v1. Claude Code adds /v1/messages itself. Put the key in ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, not ANTHROPIC_API_KEY.

Put your agent on inference built for the work

Your agent stays the same.
Its inference gets better.

$export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.sideren.io

Get a key Read the docs

Start free · no card · Paid plans from $5/mo

Point Claude Code here. Keep the harness.

Get a key

Point Claude Code at Sideren

Pick a model

Start Claude Code

The buyer is already shopping coding plans.

Pick the model. Keep the agent.

Your agent stays the same.Its inference gets better.

Your agent stays the same.
Its inference gets better.