Best API Proxy Services for Claude Code in China: 2026 Comparison

Mar 24, 2026

Cowrie

Dev @ Bswen

Problem

I want to use Claude Code in China, but the official Anthropic API has two issues:

Access can be unreliable
Costs add up quickly with pay-per-use

Many API proxy services (中转服务商) have appeared, but which one should I choose?

The Hidden Cost of Pay-Per-Use

Most proxy services use pay-per-use with multipliers. A 1.5x multiplier means your $100 credit is effectively only $66 of actual usage.

Here’s what I found:

┌─────────────────┬───────────────┬─────────────┬──────────────┬───────────────┐
│ Provider        │ Pricing       │ Opus Access │ Rate Limits  │ Hidden Cost   │
├─────────────────┼───────────────┼─────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────┤
│ Official API    │ Pay-per-use   │ Yes         │ Based on tier│ ~$20/1M tokens│
│ 88code          │ Pay-per-use   │ Limited     │ Frequent busy│ Fast depletion│
│ CodeMirror      │ Pay-per-use   │ Yes         │ None stated  │ Fast use      │
│ 环球巴士 (Pro)   │ Monthly ¥198  │ Yes         │ No weekly    │ Predictable   │
└─────────────────┴───────────────┴─────────────┴──────────────┴───────────────┘

What I Learned

Issue with 88code

I tried 88code but frequently got “model busy” errors during peak hours. The pay-per-use model also meant I was constantly worried about running out of credits.

Issue with CodeMirror

CodeMirror works but consumes credits very quickly. Before I knew it, my balance was depleted.

Why 环球巴士 Works Better

环球巴士 (Universal Bus) offers a monthly subscription model:

Pro plan: ¥198.88/month
Unlimited Opus access
No weekly rate limits
Predictable cost

For heavy users, this is much more cost-effective than pay-per-use with multipliers.

How to Configure a Proxy Service

Once you have a proxy API key, configure it in Claude Code:

# Option 1: Environment variables
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_proxy_api_key
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://your-proxy.com/v1

# Option 2: Add to shell config for persistence
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_proxy_api_key' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://your-proxy.com/v1' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

# Option 3: Project-specific .env file
# Create .env in project root
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_proxy_api_key
# ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://your-proxy.com/v1

Choosing a Proxy Service: Checklist

Before choosing a proxy service, check these points:

[ ] Verify Opus model availability (not mixed with Sonnet)
[ ] Check rate limits (daily/weekly restrictions)
[ ] Understand pricing multiplier (1x vs 1.5x vs 2x)
[ ] Test reliability during peak hours
[ ] Compare monthly subscription vs pay-per-use
[ ] Verify MCP server compatibility

The Real Cost Difference

Here’s why monthly subscriptions win:

Pay-per-use with 1.5x multiplier:
- $100 credit = $66 actual value
- Unpredictable costs
- Anxiety about running out

Monthly subscription (¥198.88):
- Fixed cost per month
- No multiplier hidden cost
- Peace of mind

Summary

In this post, I compared Claude Code API proxy services for Chinese users. The key points are:

Pay-per-use with multipliers is expensive - your $100 is effectively less
Monthly subscriptions like 环球巴士 offer predictable costs
Always verify Opus access and check for rate limits
Test reliability before committing

For heavy Claude Code users in China, monthly subscriptions are the better choice.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others share my knowledge and experience. If you want to contact me, you can contact by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

👨‍💻 环球巴士 (Universal Bus)
👨‍💻 Anthropic API Pricing

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!