Use the Claude API with Aider
Aider is a terminal pair-programmer that burns tokens fast on long sessions. Point it at the discounted gateway with two environment variables and keep the exact same workflow.
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Two environment variables
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-pool-••• export ANTHROPIC_API_BASE=https://api.apitoken.sale aider --model anthropic/claude-opus-4-8
Aider routes Anthropic traffic through LiteLLM under the hood, which honours ANTHROPIC_API_BASE — so no config file is required.
See also: Use the Claude API with LiteLLM
Picking a model for Aider
- anthropic/claude-opus-4-8 — hardest refactors and long agentic edits.
- anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 — the everyday default; near-Opus coding quality.
- anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5 — quick edits and cheap experimentation.
Long Aider sessions are exactly where the token discount compounds: repo maps, diffs and multi-file edits all bill as input and output tokens.
Frequently asked questions
Does Aider work with a custom Claude endpoint?
Yes. Aider uses LiteLLM for Anthropic models, and LiteLLM honours the ANTHROPIC_API_BASE environment variable — set it to https://api.apitoken.sale and start Aider normally.
Which Claude model is best in Aider?
claude-sonnet-5 is the best default for most coding; switch to claude-opus-4-8 for the hardest multi-file work. Both run on the same key.
How much cheaper is a long Aider session?
Every request is billed at official token rates minus your 60–80% discount, so a session that would cost $10 direct costs $2–4 here.
Use Google or GitHub to create your key and get $10 of Claude usage before you top up.