Startup banner labels CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN sessions as "Claude API", implying API billing

Open 💬 1 comment Opened Jul 10, 2026 by prakharw

When authenticating via CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN (generated by claude setup-token), the startup banner's auth field reads "Claude API". On the same account, an interactive browser login shows "Claude Team".

This is misleading: per the docs, setup-token authenticates against a Claude subscription (Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise) and draws on subscription quota — it is not pay-as-you-go API billing. The "Claude API" label strongly implies API-key / metered billing, causing users to think the two sessions bill differently when they actually draw from the same subscription pool.

Steps to reproduce

  1. On a Claude Team (or Pro/Max) account, run claude setup-token and export CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN.
  2. Start Claude Code in that shell → banner auth field shows "Claude API".
  3. In another environment, log in interactively via browser on the same account → banner shows "Claude Team".

Expected

Token-based subscription auth should reflect the subscription (e.g. "Claude Team (token)"), reserving "Claude API" for actual ANTHROPIC_API_KEY / Console-key sessions.

Environment

  • Claude Code v2.1.206

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