Short answer: Anthropic’s pricing documentation is reported to offer new users a small amount of free API test credits. The available excerpt does not say whether those credits cover Opus 4.8, or specify their amount or expiry. Treat them as possible testing credits—not confirmed free Opus 4.8 access or a production allowance.
Anthropic’s model documentation lists Opus 4.8 as an active legacy model and gives its Claude API model ID as claude-opus-4-8. The model is available through Anthropic’s API, although Anthropic identifies Opus 5.5 as the current Opus model. (platform.claude.com)
Can you use Claude Opus 4.8 for free?
- API test credits: Anthropic’s pricing documentation is reported to offer new users a small amount of API test credits. The available excerpt does not confirm Opus 4.8 eligibility, the credit amount, or expiry. Check the offer and model eligibility shown in your Claude Console before relying on it.
- Free Claude chat: The official material reviewed here does not establish that a free Claude account can select Opus 4.8. Chat access, if available, is not the same as API access.
- Production API use: Anthropic’s API overview describes the Claude API as programmatic access to Claude models. It lists the Messages API at
POST /v1/messages; Anthropic’s Opus 4.8 documentation lists text and image input with text output. The general API documentation does not establish that free credits cover a production workload, so budget for paid use unless your Console confirms otherwise. (platform.claude.com)
Anthropic’s general API prerequisites do not replace checking that the model is enabled for your account and chosen API channel. The Opus 4.8 documentation lists the model ID and current availability, but the credit excerpt does not establish Opus-specific free-credit eligibility.
A post claims that a Notion trial includes Opus 4.8 through Notion AI. That is an unverified claim about interface access, not evidence of free Anthropic API access. Do not use it as the basis for an API or production budget.
Anthropic also documents API credits associated with some paid subscriptions. Those are not a free plan. The available excerpt does not establish whether such credits apply to Opus 4.8, or confirm their expiry or platform restrictions; check the current terms before including them in a budget.
What does Opus 4.8 API use cost?
Anthropic’s model documentation lists Claude API rates of $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens for Opus 4.8. The same page describes the model as legacy and lists its Claude API identifier as claude-opus-4-8. Confirm the applicable rate card for your API channel before budgeting through a cloud provider or other platform. (platform.claude.com)
| Claude API usage | Listed rate |
|---|---|
| Input tokens | $5 per million tokens |
| Output tokens | $25 per million tokens |
Illustrative calculation: If a request uses 2,000 input tokens and generates 500 output tokens:
- Input: 2,000 ÷ 1,000,000 × $5 = $0.01
- Output: 500 ÷ 1,000,000 × $25 = $0.0125
- Total: $0.0225 per request
At 10,000 requests with the same assumed token counts, the total would be $225. This is a calculation from the listed rates, not a measured workload. Your actual cost depends on tokens sent and generated, including conversation context.
Sources
Claude Opus 4.8 — Claude Platform Docs
API overview — Claude Platform Docs
Pricing — Claude Platform Docs
API credits for Max, Ultra, and Team plans
You Can Use Claude Opus 4.8 For FREE With 0 Credit Card And No Rate Limits