[UX] "Credit balance" (API console) and "Current balance" (subscription) use identical framing for unrelated billing systems

Summary

console.anthropic.com and claude.ai both display dollar amounts under
"balance" labels, but they refer to completely different billing systems
with different mechanics. The visual and semantic similarity causes
significant user confusion.

Observed behavior

console.anthropic.com (API console):

• Shows "Credit balance: $5.00"
• These are prepaid API credits consumed per token by API key users

claude.ai/settings (subscription):

• Shows "Current balance: $120.84" under "Usage credits"
• These are subscription overflow credits — only activated when the plan

limit is hit and "extra usage" is enabled

• A separate "Monthly spend limit: $100" caps how much of this balance

can be spent per month

The two "balance" displays are visually identical but:

• Activate under different conditions
• Are governed by separate monthly caps
• Are purchased through different flows
• Apply to different usage surfaces

Impact

• Subscription users with usage credits believe they have a simple prepaid

wallet that depletes continuously, like API credits

• Users do not understand why a $100 "monthly spend limit" exists separately

from the balance

• Users who hold both API credits and subscription usage credits have no

way to distinguish them without careful reading of fine print

• The confusion is compounded when both consoles are open simultaneously

Evidence

Simultaneous observation: console.anthropic.com shows "Credit balance: $5.00";
claude.ai shows "Current balance: $120.84" under Usage credits. Both use
"balance" framing; neither surface explains the distinction between the two systems.

Expected behavior

The two balance displays should use distinct labels and descriptions:

• API: "API credit balance: $5.00 — consumed per token for API calls"
• Subscription: "Usage credit reserve: $120.84 — available if plan limit

is reached (monthly cap: $100)"

Related

• #67077 — console.anthropic.com lacks API-console identity label
• #50994 — general billing confusion between claude.ai and Claude Code

Environment

• Claude Code v2.1.170, macOS 15.x
• Claude Max (5x) subscription + API account