Claude Code Cloud Sessions Launch Out of Preview with $100/$250 Credits for Pro/Max Users

On September 24, Anthropic announced that Claude Code's Cloud sessions have exited research preview and are now fully generally available. Tasks run on Anthropic-hosted cloud infrastructure, so Claude Code keeps working even when you close your laptop or shut it down — and cloud sessions bill the same way as local ones through Pro/Max subscriptions.

Confirmed

General availability: Cloud sessions have exited research preview and are fully available (multiple sources relayed the official announcement)
Three ways to start: launch from the Code tab on the website, or via the CLI and other entry points
One-time trial credits: existing Pro subscribers get $100, Max users get $250
Claim deadline: m1 says October 8, 8:59 AM GMT+2 (m7 says October 7 — roughly a one-day discrepancy; defer to the official page)
Credit expiry: November 5, 8:59 AM GMT+1
Billing rules: cloud and local usage are counted separately and don't share quota; you can keep using cloud credits even after hitting your local limit

Why it matters

Cloud sessions free long-running tasks from dependence on local hardware — developers can kick off a task, close the lid, and walk away — a key step in Claude Code's evolution from a local terminal tool into a cloud development platform. The free credits lower the barrier to trying it out, while separate cloud billing hints that Anthropic may commercialize cloud compute as an independent revenue stream beyond its subscription tiers.

2026-09-24 ~ 2026-09-24 · 8 related posts

Primary sources

Claude Code cloud sessions go GA: Anthropic gives Pro users $100, Max $250 in trial credits — ClaudeDevs · 2026-09-24 05:23 (UTC+08:00)
Claude Code cloud sessions go GA with $100/$250 trial credits for subscribers — lydiahallie · 2026-09-24 05:28 (UTC+08:00)
Claude cloud credits are billed separately: $100 for Pro, $250 for Max, claim by Oct 7 — xiaohu · 2026-09-24 09:37 (UTC+08:00)

Anthropic gives Pro and Max users $100 in cloud session credits, claim by Oct 8 — theangrywalnut · 2026-09-24
[source] Claude Code cloud sessions go GA: Anthropic gives Pro users $100, Max $250 in trial credits — ClaudeDevs · 2026-09-24
Claude Code launches cloud sessions that keep running even with your laptop off — xiaohu · 2026-09-24
[source] Claude cloud credits are billed separately: $100 for Pro, $250 for Max, claim by Oct 7 — xiaohu · 2026-09-24
Pro users get $100, Max users $250 in one-time cloud credits, claimable until Oct 7 — xiaohu · 2026-09-24

3 near-duplicate retellings: lydiahallie · jarrodwatts · ClaudeDevs