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I really hope someone from any of those companies (if possible all of them) would publish a very clear statement regarding the following question: If I build a

I really hope someone from any of those companies (if possible all of them) would publish a very clear statement regarding the following question: If I build a commercial app that allows my users to connect using their OAuth token coming from their ChatGPT/Claude etc. account, do they allow me (and their users) to do this or not? I totally understand that I should not reuse my own account to provide services to others, as direct API usage is the obvious choice here, but this is a different case. I am currently developing something that would be the perfect fit for this OAuth based flow and I find it quite frustrating that in most cases I cannot find a clear answer to this question. I don't even know who I would be supposed to contact to get an answer or discuss this as an independent dev. EDIT: Some answers to my comment have pointed out that the ToS of Anthropic were clear, I'm not saying they aren't if taken in a vacuum, yet in practice even after this being published some confusion remained online, in particular regarding wether OAuth token usage was still ok with the Agent SDK for personal usage. If it happens to be, that would lead to other questions I personally cannot find a clear answer to, hence my original statement. Also, I am very interested about the stance of other companies on this subject. Maybe I am being overly cautious here but I want to be clear that this is just my personal opinion and me trying to understand what exactly is allowed or not. This is not some business or legal advice.

azuanrb 8mo ago
Usually, it is already stated in their documentation (auth section). If a statement is vague, treat it as a no. It is not worth the risk when they can ban you at any time. For example, ChatGPT allows it, but Claude and Gemini do not. https://developers.openai.com/codex/auth https://developers.openai.com/codex/auth
- MillionOClock 8mo ago
  Maybe I am missing something from the docs of your link, but I unfortunately don't think it actually states anything regarding allowing users to connect and use their Codex quota in third party apps.
  - adastra22 8mo ago
    From TFA: “OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. Using OAuth tokens obtained through Claude Free, Pro, or Max accounts in any other product, tool, or service — including the Agent SDK — is not permitted and constitutes a violation of the Consumer Terms of Service.”
    - raincole 8mo ago
      They're not asking if Claude forbids it. They're asking if OpenAI (Codex, specifically) allows it.
    - MillionOClock 8mo ago
      The comment you are responding to is about ChatGPT/Codex, not Claude.
  - s-lambert 8mo ago
    https://x.com/thdxr/status/2013010664776683644 https://x.com/thdxr/status/2013010664776683644 I can't find anything official from OpenAI, but they have worked with the OpenCode people to support using your ChatGPT subscription in OpenCode.
eleventyseven 8mo ago
It is pretty obviously no. API keys billed by the token, yes, Oauth to the flat rate plans no. > OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. Using OAuth tokens obtained through Claude Free, Pro, or Max accounts in any other product, tool, or service — including the Agent SDK — is not permitted and constitutes a violation of the Consumer Terms of Service.
- MillionOClock 8mo ago
  If you look at this tweet [1] and in particular responses under it, it still seems to me like some parts of it need additional clarification. For instance, I have seen some people interpret the tweet as meaning using the OAuth token is actually ok for personal experimentation with the Agent SDK, which can be seen as a slight contradiction with what you quoted. A parent tweet also mentioned the docs clean up causing some confusion. None of this is legal advice, I'm just trying to understand what exactly is allowed or not. [1] https://x.com/trq212/status/2024212380142752025?s=10 https://x.com/trq212/status/2024212380142752025?s=10
  - adastra22 8mo ago
    Read the actual ToS. What you describe is NOT allowed.
    - eclipxe 8mo ago
      That tweet is from a product leader on Claude Code itself...
      - kahnclusions 8mo ago
        A tweet is not a ToS.
        AlotOfReading 8mo ago
        Then they should speak to legal about fixing the ToS before making public statements about their intentions with it. It won't look good to show up at arbitration and have to explain why your public comms contradict your ToS.
artdigital 8mo ago
That’s very clearly a no, I don’t understand why so many people think this is unclear. You can’t use Claude OAuth tokens for anything. Any solution that exists worked because it pretended/spoofed to be Claude Code. Same for Gemini (Gemini CLI, Antigravity) Codex is the only one that got official blessing to be used in OpenClaw and OpenCode, and even that was against the ToS before they changed their stance on it.
- adastra22 8mo ago
  Is Codex ok with any other third party applications, or just those?
  - theLiminator 8mo ago
    Interested to know this too
  - artdigital 8mo ago
    By default, assume no. The lack of any official integration guide should be a clear sign. Even saying that you reverse-engineer Codex for apps to pretend to be Codex makes it clear that this is not an officially endorsed thing to do
    - turblety 8mo ago
      Codex is Open Source though, so I wonder at what stage me adding features to Codex is different from me starting a new project and using the subscription. But I believe OpenAI does let you use their subscription in third parties, so not an issue anyway.
  - prodigycorp 8mo ago
    Yes. You can build third party applications on top of codex app server. All open source. https://developers.openai.com/codex/app-server/ https://developers.openai.com/codex/app-server/
    - 8mo ago
ashikns 8mo ago
> OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. I think this is pretty clear - No.
- merb 8mo ago
  So it’s forbidden to use the Claude Mac app. I would say the ToS as it is, can’t be enforced
laksjhdlka 8mo ago
Anthropic has published a very clear statement. It's "no".
paxys 8mo ago
I don't see how they can get more clear about this, considering they have repeatedly answered it the exact same way. Subscriptions are for first-party products (claude.com, mobile and desktop apps, Claude Code, editor extensions, Cowork). Everything else must use API billing.
- firloop 8mo ago
  The biggest reason why this is confusing is the Claude Agent SDK[0] will use subscription/oauth credentials if present. The terms update implies that there's some use cases where that's ok and other use cases (commercial?) where using their SDK on a user's device violates terms. [0] https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview
  - theturtletalks 8mo ago
    Had the same question, comment below quotes their docs saying Agent SDK using oAuth token is also not allowed.
    - stavros 8mo ago
      It doesn't quote their docs, it quotes the page this post is about.
  - deleted 8mo ago
    [deleted]
  - BoorishBears 8mo ago
    The SDK is Claude Code in a harnesss, so it works with your credentials the same way CC does. But they're stating you can only use your subscription for your personal usage, not someone else's for their usage in your product. I honestly think they're being short sighted not just giving a "3rd party quota" since they already show users like 4 quotas. If the fear is 3rd party agents screwing up the math, just make it low enough for entry level usage. I suspect 3rd party token usage is bi-modal where some users just need enough to kick tires, but others are min-maxing for how mamy tokens they can burn as if that's its own reward
OGEnthusiast 8mo ago
[dead]
SeanAnderson 8mo ago
I think you're just trying to see ambiguity where it doesn't exist because the looser interpretation is beneficial to you. It totally makes sense why you'd want that outcome and I'm not faulting you for it. It's just that, from a POV of someone without stake in the game, the answer seems quite clear.
itissid 8mo ago
One set of applications to build with subscription is to use the claude-go binary directly. Humanlayer/Codelayer projects on GitHub do this. Granted those are not ideal for building a subscription based business to use oathu tokens from Claude and OpenaAI. But you can build a business by building a development env and gating other features behind paywall or just offering enterprise service for certain features like vertical AI(redpanada) offerings knowledge workers, voice based interaction(there was a YC startup here the other day doing this I think), structured outputs and workflows. There is lots to build on.
kovek 8mo ago
Does https://happy.engineering/ https://happy.engineering/ need to use the API keys or can use oauth? It's basically a frontend for claude-cli.
- kzahel 8mo ago
  It doesn't even touch auth right? """ Usage policy Acceptable use Claude Code usage is subject to the Anthropic Usage Policy. Advertised usage limits for Pro and Max plans assume ordinary, individual usage of Claude Code and the Agent SDK """ That tool clearly falls under ordinary individual use of Claude code. https://yepanywhere.com/ https://yepanywhere.com/ is another such tool. Perfectly ordinary individual usage. https://yepanywhere.com/sdk-auth-clarification.html https://yepanywhere.com/sdk-auth-clarification.html The TOS are confusing because just below that section it talks about authentication/credential use. If an app starts reading api keys / credentials, that starts falling into territory where they want a hard line no.
- resonious 8mo ago
  If it's a wrapper that invokes the `claude` binary then I believe it's fine.
  - cmwelsh 8mo ago
    Is there a way to legally or even practically prevent this? `claude` CLI execution in a shell is certainly included in the subscription - it’s the product.
    - ardacinar 8mo ago
      Practically; yes. MMOs have been doing this kind of thing (Preventing alteration / automation of the client) for ages now.
direwolf20 8mo ago
Not allowed. They've already banned people for this.

azuanrb 8mo ago

Usually, it is already stated in their documentation (auth section). If a statement is vague, treat it as a no. It is not worth the risk when they can ban you at any time. For example, ChatGPT allows it, but Claude and Gemini do not. https://developers.openai.com/codex/auth https://developers.openai.com/codex/auth

MillionOClock 8mo ago
Maybe I am missing something from the docs of your link, but I unfortunately don't think it actually states anything regarding allowing users to connect and use their Codex quota in third party apps.
- adastra22 8mo ago
  From TFA: “OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. Using OAuth tokens obtained through Claude Free, Pro, or Max accounts in any other product, tool, or service — including the Agent SDK — is not permitted and constitutes a violation of the Consumer Terms of Service.”
  - raincole 8mo ago
    They're not asking if Claude forbids it. They're asking if OpenAI (Codex, specifically) allows it.
  - MillionOClock 8mo ago
    The comment you are responding to is about ChatGPT/Codex, not Claude.
- s-lambert 8mo ago
  https://x.com/thdxr/status/2013010664776683644 https://x.com/thdxr/status/2013010664776683644 I can't find anything official from OpenAI, but they have worked with the OpenCode people to support using your ChatGPT subscription in OpenCode.

eleventyseven 8mo ago

It is pretty obviously no. API keys billed by the token, yes, Oauth to the flat rate plans no. > OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. Using OAuth tokens obtained through Claude Free, Pro, or Max accounts in any other product, tool, or service — including the Agent SDK — is not permitted and constitutes a violation of the Consumer Terms of Service.

MillionOClock 8mo ago
If you look at this tweet [1] and in particular responses under it, it still seems to me like some parts of it need additional clarification. For instance, I have seen some people interpret the tweet as meaning using the OAuth token is actually ok for personal experimentation with the Agent SDK, which can be seen as a slight contradiction with what you quoted. A parent tweet also mentioned the docs clean up causing some confusion. None of this is legal advice, I'm just trying to understand what exactly is allowed or not. [1] https://x.com/trq212/status/2024212380142752025?s=10 https://x.com/trq212/status/2024212380142752025?s=10
- adastra22 8mo ago
  Read the actual ToS. What you describe is NOT allowed.
  - eclipxe 8mo ago
    That tweet is from a product leader on Claude Code itself...
    - kahnclusions 8mo ago
      A tweet is not a ToS.
      - AlotOfReading 8mo ago
        Then they should speak to legal about fixing the ToS before making public statements about their intentions with it. It won't look good to show up at arbitration and have to explain why your public comms contradict your ToS.

artdigital 8mo ago

That’s very clearly a no, I don’t understand why so many people think this is unclear. You can’t use Claude OAuth tokens for anything. Any solution that exists worked because it pretended/spoofed to be Claude Code. Same for Gemini (Gemini CLI, Antigravity) Codex is the only one that got official blessing to be used in OpenClaw and OpenCode, and even that was against the ToS before they changed their stance on it.

adastra22 8mo ago
Is Codex ok with any other third party applications, or just those?
- theLiminator 8mo ago
  Interested to know this too
- artdigital 8mo ago
  By default, assume no. The lack of any official integration guide should be a clear sign. Even saying that you reverse-engineer Codex for apps to pretend to be Codex makes it clear that this is not an officially endorsed thing to do
  - turblety 8mo ago
    Codex is Open Source though, so I wonder at what stage me adding features to Codex is different from me starting a new project and using the subscription. But I believe OpenAI does let you use their subscription in third parties, so not an issue anyway.
- prodigycorp 8mo ago
  Yes. You can build third party applications on top of codex app server. All open source. https://developers.openai.com/codex/app-server/ https://developers.openai.com/codex/app-server/
  - 8mo ago

ashikns 8mo ago

> OAuth authentication (used with Free, Pro, and Max plans) is intended exclusively for Claude Code and Claude.ai. I think this is pretty clear - No.

merb 8mo ago
So it’s forbidden to use the Claude Mac app. I would say the ToS as it is, can’t be enforced

laksjhdlka 8mo ago

Anthropic has published a very clear statement. It's "no".

paxys 8mo ago

I don't see how they can get more clear about this, considering they have repeatedly answered it the exact same way. Subscriptions are for first-party products (claude.com, mobile and desktop apps, Claude Code, editor extensions, Cowork). Everything else must use API billing.

firloop 8mo ago
The biggest reason why this is confusing is the Claude Agent SDK[0] will use subscription/oauth credentials if present. The terms update implies that there's some use cases where that's ok and other use cases (commercial?) where using their SDK on a user's device violates terms. [0] https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview
- theturtletalks 8mo ago
  Had the same question, comment below quotes their docs saying Agent SDK using oAuth token is also not allowed.
  - stavros 8mo ago
    It doesn't quote their docs, it quotes the page this post is about.
- deleted 8mo ago
  [deleted]
- BoorishBears 8mo ago
  The SDK is Claude Code in a harnesss, so it works with your credentials the same way CC does. But they're stating you can only use your subscription for your personal usage, not someone else's for their usage in your product. I honestly think they're being short sighted not just giving a "3rd party quota" since they already show users like 4 quotas. If the fear is 3rd party agents screwing up the math, just make it low enough for entry level usage. I suspect 3rd party token usage is bi-modal where some users just need enough to kick tires, but others are min-maxing for how mamy tokens they can burn as if that's its own reward

OGEnthusiast 8mo ago

[dead]

SeanAnderson 8mo ago

I think you're just trying to see ambiguity where it doesn't exist because the looser interpretation is beneficial to you. It totally makes sense why you'd want that outcome and I'm not faulting you for it. It's just that, from a POV of someone without stake in the game, the answer seems quite clear.

itissid 8mo ago

One set of applications to build with subscription is to use the claude-go binary directly. Humanlayer/Codelayer projects on GitHub do this. Granted those are not ideal for building a subscription based business to use oathu tokens from Claude and OpenaAI. But you can build a business by building a development env and gating other features behind paywall or just offering enterprise service for certain features like vertical AI(redpanada) offerings knowledge workers, voice based interaction(there was a YC startup here the other day doing this I think), structured outputs and workflows. There is lots to build on.

kovek 8mo ago

Does https://happy.engineering/ https://happy.engineering/ need to use the API keys or can use oauth? It's basically a frontend for claude-cli.

kzahel 8mo ago
It doesn't even touch auth right? """ Usage policy Acceptable use Claude Code usage is subject to the Anthropic Usage Policy. Advertised usage limits for Pro and Max plans assume ordinary, individual usage of Claude Code and the Agent SDK """ That tool clearly falls under ordinary individual use of Claude code. https://yepanywhere.com/ https://yepanywhere.com/ is another such tool. Perfectly ordinary individual usage. https://yepanywhere.com/sdk-auth-clarification.html https://yepanywhere.com/sdk-auth-clarification.html The TOS are confusing because just below that section it talks about authentication/credential use. If an app starts reading api keys / credentials, that starts falling into territory where they want a hard line no.
resonious 8mo ago
If it's a wrapper that invokes the `claude` binary then I believe it's fine.
- cmwelsh 8mo ago
  Is there a way to legally or even practically prevent this? `claude` CLI execution in a shell is certainly included in the subscription - it’s the product.
  - ardacinar 8mo ago
    Practically; yes. MMOs have been doing this kind of thing (Preventing alteration / automation of the client) for ages now.

direwolf20 8mo ago

Not allowed. They've already banned people for this.