Outsmarting MiniMax III: Connecting MiniMax Models to PC Using Claude Code

Author: BruceBlue

Some netizens asked me why I chose to use MiniMax. The reason is simple: it provides a large quantity to satisfy your needs, and the effect is not bad!

When I checked my credit limit... I couldn't use it all (I bought the Max Coding Plan)! My Claude credit limit in Cursor and Gemini (Antigravity) was also lying dormant. I was indignant: why not include the Claude Code terminal tool in the freebies too?

I went through all this trouble precisely because I didn't want to buy the Claude Pro. The Opus 4.6 is too token-intensive; even $500 a month isn't enough, and it's not very user-friendly for users in China. The MiniMax M2.5 is incredibly fast and has an amazing price-performance ratio, making it the perfect replacement!

I've tried all the online tutorials, but they basically don't work, so I had to write my own from scratch, a complete solution specifically for those who don't want to buy the Claude Pro and just want to use the MiniMax. It works for both Mac and Windows users, truly from scratch, and can be done in minutes!

Let me first explain why I went through all this trouble (the benefits of using Claude Code to connect to the MiniMax API).

A boon for pure OCD sufferers and freeloaders:

No need to buy Claude Pro! Save money completely.

• The official Claude Pro costs at least $19 per month and requires a token. We directly use the surplus MiniMax API, completely bypassing login and subscription, with zero marginal cost.

Squeeze every last drop of credit from your MiniMax account.

• You bought a Coding Plan but don't use it all? Now put it all into Claude Code and use it all up without wasting a single penny!

Faster, more stable, and no lag

• MiniMax M2.5 is even faster than the official Opus, so you no longer have to worry about network glitches or "model not found" errors.

The terminal device offers a superior user experience.

• Simply type commands in the project folder, and the context will automatically read the entire folder—it's 10 times better than the web version! Writing code, debugging, and building small tools are all done in one go.

One shot delivers explosive performance and unbeatable value for money.

• M2.5 completely outclasses Opus 4.6 in Claude Code, making writing automation scripts, small tools, and web crawlers a breeze.

Switch back to the official Claude website anytime

• If you're unhappy, just type /model to switch back to the official website (provided you buy the Pro version later), it's super flexible.

In short: getting something for free, saving money, fast, and easy to use – that's the real victory in this battle of wits!

Preparation: How to open the terminal on different systems

Since many of you are using this terminal for the first time, I'll teach you the most basic operations first, so that even beginners can keep up!

Mac users (easiest):

• Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight Search.

• Type "Terminal" or "Terminal"

• Press Enter to open the black window (that's the terminal!).

Windows users (PowerShell recommended):

• Press the Win key on your keyboard.

• Type "PowerShell"

• Right-click "Windows PowerShell" → Select "Run as administrator" (Important! Required during installation) (Alternatively, you can search for "terminal" and open the latest version of Windows Terminal).

Linux / WSL users:

• Just open "Terminal" or press Ctrl+Alt+T.

Step 1: Install Claude Code (Claude Pro is not required!)

Important reminder: Because we'll be using MiniMax as a full proxy later, installing Claude Code itself doesn't require a Claude Pro subscription. That's the real point of all our tinkering!

Recommended installation method (latest official method in 2026, no Node.js required, more stable)

(Note: The npm method has been marked as deprecated by the official documentation, but it still works for now.)

Step 2: Obtain the MiniMax API Key

Open the MiniMax official website API Platform and log in → Subscribe to the Coding Plan on the left → Select a different plan and purchase → Create a new key and record it (required for the following steps).

PS: If a free MiniMax API is available, that would also be fine.

Step 3: Create a configuration file (the most crucial step! It includes a clever trick to skip login).

Copy the following content completely (replace <yourMiniMax_Key> with the one you just received):

Save and exit (nano: Ctrl+O → Enter → Ctrl+X; Windows: save and close directly).

Add an extra function to skip login files (super important! A must-have even if you don't buy the Pro version):

Step 4: Clear the old Anthropic environment variables (to prevent conflicts!)

Step 5: Fully restart and start up

• Close all current terminal windows completely.

• Open a new terminal/PowerShell and navigate to your project folder.

Type claude to start

• After seeing the prompt, select Trust This Folder.

Extremely important: Because we've already configured the MiniMax agent and skipped the login file, this time the official login window won't pop up again; you'll be directly logged in!

Step 6: Verification

Typing `/model` should show that MiniMax-M2.5 is selected. Typing `hello` again won't cause any errors—great!

If you are in mainland China (your IP address is within China), change ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to:

Everything else remains unchanged.

Want to temporarily switch back to the official Claude? Just type /model → select Default (Opus 4.6) (provided you have a Claude Code Key on your local machine).

My true feelings after finishing the matching

After everything is completed, Claude Code can directly display and call MiniMax.

The M2.5 is incredibly fast and cost-effective in Claude Code, it can practically beat Opus 4.6! Its ability to write small tools is ridiculously good, I had it write some automation scripts for me on the same day I configured it, it was so awesome.

The whole process felt like a battle of wits with MiniMax and Claude Code. MiniMax's Coding Plan and membership are separate, and Claude Code constantly tries to get users to buy a membership. But since I already have the MiniMax Coding Plan with its unlimited quantities, I might as well stick to getting it for free! It's so great! 😋