Claude Code cloud sessions get one-time free credits

On October 3, 2026, DEV Community reported that Claude Code is handing out a one-time free credit for its cloud sessions. The amount depends on the subscription tier: Max subscribers receive $250, and Pro subscribers receive $100. The credit is not general-purpose — it can only be spent on cloud sessions, and the report frames it as a single, one-time offer rather than a recurring benefit.

Two deadlines shape the promotion. The claim deadline is October 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. After that, the credit has to be spent by November 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT, and anything still unused at that point is forfeited rather than carried over.

Eligibility is narrower than the headline number suggests. Only individuals who held an active Pro or Max subscription at the moment the promotion started qualify. The report places that start date in September, but the sentence is truncated in the source, so the exact day is not confirmed. Team and Enterprise accounts are excluded, as are free trials and accounts with an unpaid balance.

That is where the material ends. No follow-up coverage is included, so the situation stands at the point of the October 3 write-up: credit available to claim, a claim deadline of October 7, and a spend deadline of November 4.