Did You Get That Email from Claude?
Here’s How to Claim Your Free Credit
Anthropic quietly sent a one-time credit to Pro subscribers. A lot of people are missing it. Don’t be one of them.
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⏱ 5 min read
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💰 Free money, don’t skip
Okay, real talk — I almost missed this one too.
Claude sent out an email to paid subscribers with a one-time credit equal to your monthly subscription fee. That’s $20 for Pro, $100 for Max 5x, and $200 for Max 20x — just sitting there waiting for you to claim it. But here’s the catch: you have to actively redeem it by clicking a link in the email, and the deadline is April 17.
I caught mine today. If you haven’t checked your inbox yet, stop what you’re doing and go look. This post will walk you through exactly what the email says, what the credit covers, and how to confirm it landed in your account.
💰 How Much Are You Getting?
Pro Plan
$20 / month
$20
free credit
Max 5x Plan
$100 / month
$100
free credit
Max 20x Plan
$200 / month
$200
free credit
The credit equals your exact monthly plan fee — whatever you pay, that’s what you get back.
⏰
Deadline: April 17, 2026
The redemption link in the email expires. After that, the credit is gone. You need to click the link to claim it — it’s not added automatically.
The email comes directly from Claude (Anthropic). It’s short, but there are a few things packed into it that are worth understanding carefully. Here’s a breakdown:
① Free Credit — Claim It Now
Anthropic is giving you a one-time credit equal to your monthly subscription fee. For Pro users, that’s $20. There’s a blue hyperlink in the email that says something like “Please redeem it here” — you have to click that link to activate the credit. It is not added to your account automatically.
② Where You Can Use the Credit
The credit is valid for 90 days from the date you redeem it. You can use it across:
- Claude.ai Chat — your regular usage when you hit the weekly limit
- Claude Code — the agentic coding CLI
- Claude Cowork — the desktop automation tool
- Third-party services connected to your Claude account (like OpenClaw, etc.)
③ Important Policy Change: Third-Party Services
Starting April 4, 2026, any third-party services connected to your Claude account (like OpenClaw) will now be billed from your Additional Usage balance — not from your base subscription limit. If you don’t use any third-party services, nothing changes for you. But if you do, this credit will cover those charges too.
④ Bonus: Pre-Purchase Additional Usage at 30% Off
The email also mentions that you can now pre-purchase additional usage packages at up to 30% off. This is separate from the free credit — it’s an optional paid bundle for power users who regularly hit their weekly limits and want to keep going at a discount.
After you click the link in the email, you can verify the credit showed up correctly. Here’s exactly where to look:
Go to Claude Settings
Click your profile icon → Settings
Click “Amount Used” in the left menu
You’ll see your Plan usage limit and Weekly limit at the top.
Scroll down to “Additional Usage”
This is where your credit balance shows up. If you successfully redeemed the credit, you’ll see US$20.00 (or your equivalent subscription amount) listed as “Current balance.”
Toggle on “Additional Usage”
Make sure the toggle switch on the right side of the Additional Usage section is turned ON (blue). Otherwise, the credit won’t be drawn from even when you hit your limit.
✅ Here’s what a successfully redeemed credit looks like:
Toggle
🔵 ON (blue)
Current Balance
US$20.00
Reset date
May 1
Q: I don’t see the email. Where should I look?
Check your Spam and Promotions folders. The sender is from Anthropic/Claude. Also check the email address tied to your Claude account — it may be a different inbox than you usually check.
Q: Is the credit added automatically when I click the link?
Yes — once you click the redemption link in the email, the credit should be applied to your account. You can then verify it by going to Settings → Amount Used → Additional Usage.
Q: What if I’m on a free plan?
Based on the email wording, this credit appears to be for paying subscribers (Pro, Team, or Enterprise). Free plan users likely won’t receive this.
Q: Does the credit expire?
Yes. The redemption link expires April 17. Once you redeem it, the credit is valid for 90 days from the redemption date. Use it before then or it’s gone.
Q: What’s the Additional Usage toggle, and should I turn it on?
The Additional Usage toggle lets Claude draw from your credit balance when you’ve hit your weekly subscription limit — so you can keep chatting without interruption. If you turn it off, Claude will stop when you hit the limit even if you have credit available. Turn it on to actually benefit from the credit.
Q: What’s the 30% off additional usage package about?
That’s a separate paid option. If you regularly hit your weekly limit and want extra capacity, you can pre-purchase usage bundles at a discount. You’ll see a “Purchase additional usage – Up to 30% off” button in the same settings page. Totally optional.
The email doesn’t spell it out explicitly, but reading between the lines: Anthropic recently changed how third-party services connected to Claude (like OpenClaw) are billed. Starting April 4, those services now draw from Additional Usage credit instead of your base subscription.
This credit looks like a goodwill gesture to make that transition smooth — essentially saying “hey, the billing structure changed, here’s some buffer so you’re not caught off guard.” It’s a smart move, and honestly a generous one. The least you can do is actually claim it.
📬
Search for an email from Claude or Anthropic. Find the blue link. Click it. Then head to Settings → Amount Used → Additional Usage and make sure your $20 is there and the toggle is on.
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