Claude Code: registration, sign-in, plans, and support
MarkdownPhone number requirements, email sign-in, Pro/Max plans, weekly limits, saving projects, and contacting support. Provider restrictions and original caveats.
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Ailoot documentation — reference material on using the service.
Note
These are not recommendations. Check recent reviews before paying. The decision and the risk are yours.
Warning
Disclaimer: I do not recommend specific VPN services or promote tools for bypassing restrictions. This guide is about setting up a tool for working with code. You make your own network connection decisions.
How does Claude Code connect to the network?
Claude Code runs in the editor, and the editor connects to the network independently, outside the browser.
Does Claude registration require a supported phone number?
Key takeaway
A phone is almost always required: Anthropic requires a number from a supported country for registration and sends an SMS code to it. Anthropic's help documentation explicitly prohibits verifying an account with virtual numbers, VoIP, or Google Voice—even if the code arrives, this violates the rules and is grounds for an account block during a review. A legitimate option if you do not have your own foreign number is a real SIM card from a supported country or help from someone who lives there (checked against Anthropic's help documentation on 03.10.2026).
Anthropic accepts phone numbers only from supported countries.
If you are asked for a number, it is important to understand that Anthropic explicitly rules out disposable and virtual numbers in its help documentation.
You cannot use VoIP numbers, Google Voice, numbers generated by apps, landlines, or other numbers that cannot receive SMS to verify your account.
Services offering disposable virtual numbers sometimes receive the code, but this directly violates Anthropic's rules: an account created with such a number is a prime candidate for suspension at the next review. A workable option if you do not have a foreign phone number to hand is your own SIM card from a supported country, a number you have lawful access to, or help from someone living in such a country. The full discussion of the options and links to Anthropic's rules is in registering for Claude without a foreign number.
How do you sign in to Claude by email?
For the email sign-in process described in Anthropic's "Log in to your Claude account" help article, choose "Continue with email": Claude does not have a password, and you sign in through a one-time link in an email titled "Secure link to log in to Claude.ai." Which email address to use and why you cannot change it later are covered separately in choosing an email address for Claude registration.
Warning
Since July 2026, Anthropic has tightened its checks and selectively requests identity verification.
What payment restrictions should you consider?
When you give intermediaries access, you are handing strangers access to your account and payment details.
Apple sometimes requires you to link a card before allowing you to pay from your balance.
What you are paying for, the official prices, and why Anthropic declines a card are covered in detail in how to pay for Claude Code.
Which plans and limits should you consider?
There is a free plan. Pro costs 20 dollars. Max costs 100 or 200 dollars, depending on your tasks. Pro has weekly limits.
How much each plan provides and where to check your remaining allowance are explained in Claude Pro and Max limits. If you hit the ceiling sooner than you would like, see how to avoid using up your Claude Code limits in a day: it contains 8 rules for saving tokens.
What should you do if your account is blocked?
Key takeaway
There is no guarantee: under Anthropic's agreement, a refund is not mandatory. According to the Transparency Hub report for January–June 2026, about 11% of appeals are approved (42 thousand out of 398 thousand). Your projects do not disappear: the files are on your disk or server.
Account blocks happen, so plan for them as part of the process. Here is what to do, in order:
- Check the refund terms. Anthropic's user agreement does not guarantee a refund. There is a separate exception: if the account used the API through Claude Console, the subscription is canceled without a refund when the account is blocked. This is Anthropic's policy.
- Retrieve your projects. All folders and files—
CLAUDE.mdand your project folders—are on your computer or server. Only the conversation history is lost. - Contact support. Recovering the account itself is difficult: according to Anthropic's transparency report for January–June 2026, about 11% of appeals are approved (42 thousand out of 398 thousand submitted). Contact support to find out whether a refund for the paid period is possible.
Alternatives to Claude Code and their access requirements
Key takeaway
The source article describes Qwen Code as a worthy alternative to Claude Code: a Chinese agent in the same class that runs in the terminal and VS Code and costs several times less. DeepSeek, MiniMax, and GLM are other options: email registration without a phone number, and integration with VS Code through Cline.
At the time of the source article, the closest alternative to Claude Code was Qwen Code, a Chinese coding agent that runs in the terminal and VS Code. For coding tasks, its flagship Qwen 3.7 Max is on par with Opus while costing several times less. The steps for installing it instead of Claude Code are in how to set up Qwen Code.
If you want a completely free starting point, choose DeepSeek: register at platform.deepseek.com by email, with no phone number required, get a free API key, and add it to VS Code through the Cline or OpenCode extension. MiniMax and GLM connect in the same way, through an API. The code quality is good, and the limits are generous.
| Model | Strengths | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (Pro) | Architecture, analysis, design, 200K-token context | $20/month |
| Qwen Code | A full alternative to Claude Code, with an agent in the terminal and VS Code | several times cheaper than Claude |
| DeepSeek | Everyday coding and routine work | ~$10 through the API |
| MiniMax, GLM | Everyday coding without restrictions | free or inexpensive through the API |
A practical combination is Claude Pro for architecture and analysis, plus DeepSeek through the API for everyday coding. That comes to about 30 dollars per month instead of 200 for Max. For a more detailed comparison, see Cline vs Claude Code and the overview of which coding tools to use in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Will you get your money back if Claude blocks your account?
It is not guaranteed. Anthropic's agreement does not promise a refund, and according to the Transparency Hub report for January–June 2026, about 11% of appeals are approved (42 thousand out of 398 thousand). If the account used the API through Console, the subscription is canceled without a refund.
DeepSeek or Claude Code—which is better?
Claude Code is stronger for architecture and in-depth analysis. DeepSeek is cheaper and is used for everyday coding. A practical combination is Claude Pro for complex tasks and DeepSeek for routine work.
Sources
- Anthropic - countries where Claude is available
- Claude Code - official documentation
- Anthropic Privacy Policy - age and identity verification
- Anthropic Transparency Hub - account blocks and appeals, January–June 2026 - checked on 03.10.2026
- Anthropic Help Center - Verify your phone number - checked on 03.10.2026
- Claude Help Center - Log in to your Claude account - checked on 03.10.2026
Additional material is available on Ailoot.
More details
Questions about Claude Code: registration, sign-in, plans, and support
Will an account suspension delete my local code projects?
Your project folders and instruction files remain on your own computer or server. Account access and conversation history are separate from those local files; preserve the files before changing tools or accounts.
Does an appeal guarantee restored access or a refund?
No. Contact the official support channel and check the applicable subscription or Console terms. An appeal and a refund request are separate outcomes, and neither is guaranteed.