Free tools for setup, cost estimates and connectivity
Three tools you can use without signing in, covering the three things people most often get stuck on when connecting to CCSub: how to write the config, whether a monthly plan or pay-as-you-go is cheaper, and whether a failed connection is a network problem or a config problem.
Config Generator
Generate copy-paste env vars, settings.json or config.toml for Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cline, Cursor, Cherry Studio and cc-switch.
Open toolPlan Calculator
Turn daily token usage into a daily cost, then compare pay-as-you-go with each monthly plan — wasted quota, overage and the cheaper option.
Open toolConnectivity Check
Send 5 requests from your browser and see reachability, median and fastest round-trip time — plus curl commands for the terminal.
Open toolHow the three tools fit together
Setting up for the first time: pick your tool and OS in the config generator and copy the environment variables or config file. Claude Code uses https://www.ccsub.net (no /v1); OpenAI-compatible tools such as Codex CLI, Cline and Cursor use https://www.ccsub.net/api/v1. Don't mix the two up.
Configured but can't connect: run the connectivity check to see whether your browser reaches the API. If the browser works and the terminal doesn't, look at the terminal's proxy settings; if neither works, try another network.
After a while: put your daily input, cache and output tokens from the dashboard into the plan calculator to see whether a monthly plan or your balance is cheaper at your real usage, and how much plan quota would go unused each day.
Every feature update, compatibility fix and billing rule change is recorded in the changelog.
FAQ
Do these tools require an account or payment?
No. All three open directly with no sign-up, login or API key, and the connectivity check calls a public endpoint that costs nothing.
Does the config generator read or store my API key?
No. Generated configs always use the placeholder sk-your-key and the page has no field for entering a key — replace the placeholder on your own machine after copying.
Which tool should I start with when something doesn't work?
For network errors such as “Connection error”, ECONNREFUSED or timeouts, run the connectivity check first. For 401s, 404s or an empty model list, the base URL or key is usually wrong — compare your setup with the config generator.
Ready to connect? Create a key first
Sign up for CCSub and create a key on the API Keys page — one key works with both the Anthropic-compatible and OpenAI-compatible APIs.
