Build with your API key
Build a website with your Anthropic (Claude) API key
Facts last verified: . Provider pricing and free tiers change — check their site for current numbers.
Yes — you can build a complete website with your own Anthropic API key. Create a key at console.anthropic.com, paste it into OpenThorn (free, encrypted server-side), and describe your site. Claude models are consistently among the strongest for code generation, and you pay Anthropic's published rates directly — typically under $2 per site with Claude Sonnet.
Get your key
Official pricing
Free tier
No standing free API tier — Anthropic uses prepaid credit (minimum $5), which acts as a natural spend cap.
Recommended models
- Claude Sonnet 4.6 — The sweet spot for web generation — excellent code quality at $3/M input, $15/M output tokens.
- Claude Fable 5 — Anthropic's most capable model, for the most demanding multi-page builds.
- Claude Haiku 4.5 — Fast and inexpensive — great for simple sites and rapid iteration.
How to build your website
- Create an Anthropic API keySign in at console.anthropic.com, add prepaid credit (from $5), and create a key under Settings → API keys. Copy it immediately — it is shown only once.
- Set a spend limitPrepaid credit is itself a hard cap; you can also configure monthly spend limits in the console so costs stay predictable.
- Connect the key to OpenThornSign up free at openthorn.app, open the Providers page, choose Anthropic, and paste your key. It is encrypted server-side with AES-256-GCM and never exposed raw.
- Describe your website and ship itCreate a project, pick a Claude model, and describe the site. Preview it live, iterate conversationally, then deploy to Netlify or export the full source.
What it costs
With Claude Sonnet 4.6 ($3/M input, $15/M output tokens), a complete landing page typically costs $0.50–$2 in API usage. Claude Haiku 4.5 brings that down to cents.
Common questions
How much does it cost to build a website with the Claude API?
You pay Anthropic's per-token rates only. With Claude Sonnet 4.6 a typical site costs $0.50–$2; with Claude Haiku 4.5, cents. There is no OpenThorn subscription or markup — compare that with $25+/month for credit-based builders.
Which Claude model is best for building websites?
Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the best default — it is one of the strongest coding models available at mid-tier pricing. Choose Claude Fable 5 for the most complex builds, or Claude Haiku 4.5 when cost and speed matter most.
Is my Anthropic API key safe in OpenThorn?
Keys are encrypted server-side with AES-256-GCM using per-user derived keys and are never exposed raw to the browser. Prepaid credit caps your maximum exposure, and you can rotate or revoke the key in the Anthropic console at any time.
New here? Read how to build a website with AI using your own key, how to get an AI API key, or compare model pricing. Other providers: OpenAI · Google Gemini · DeepSeek · Mistral AI · Groq · Together AI · xAI · Cohere · Perplexity · OpenRouter · Ollama · Fireworks AI · Cerebras · Azure OpenAI · Amazon Bedrock · NVIDIA NIM