Cursor + OpenLimits

Integration guide · 3 min setup

Cursor is a popular AI-powered code editor that includes built-in access to Claude. That built-in access is subject to Cursor’s own rate limits and subscription tiers. Connecting Cursor to OpenLimits provides access to Claude models without those particular restrictions.

Prerequisites

Cursor installed (Free, Pro, or Business)
An OpenLimits account. Create one here.

Get your API key

Configure Cursor

Open Cursor and navigate to the model settings:

Open Settings (Cmd+, on Mac, Ctrl+, on Windows/Linux)
Go to Models
Find the Anthropic section or add a new API provider
Set the API Base URL to: https://openlimits.app
Paste your OpenLimits API key in the API Key field

Select models

Enable the Claude models you want to use in Cursor:

Claude Opus 4.8 and 4.7: For complex reasoning, architecture decisions, and large refactors
Claude Sonnet 5: A balance of speed and capability for everyday coding
Claude Haiku 4.5: For quick edits, completions, and simpler tasks

Every OpenLimits plan includes these Claude models. You can switch between them from Cursor's model picker.

Verify the route

Use Cursor's AI features (Cmd+K, inline chat, or the chat panel) with a Claude model. Then check your OpenLimits dashboard to confirm requests are showing up in the live feed.

What changes in Cursor

Using OpenLimits with Cursor instead of Cursor's built-in Claude gives you:

Pooled routing: Eligible requests are not tied to the capacity of one provider account.
Claude models: Every billing period includes Claude Opus 4.8 and 4.7, Sonnet 5, and Haiku 4.5.
Token analytics: The dashboard records input, output, cache-read, and cache-write tokens.
Shared API key: The same OpenLimits key works across Cursor, Claude Code, Conductor, and compatible clients.
Plan billing: Usage follows the renewal period and allowances listed on the pricing page.

Environment variable setup

You can also configure Cursor via environment variables. Add these to your shell profile:

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://openlimits.app
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-openlimits-key

Cursor may pick these up depending on how it's launched. The settings UI method above is more reliable.

Troubleshooting

Models not showing up

After configuring the API endpoint, you may need to restart Cursor for the model list to refresh. If models still don't appear, try manually entering the model name (e.g., claude-sonnet-4-20250514).

Getting authentication errors

Make sure you're using your OpenLimits API key, not an Anthropic API key. The keys are different formats.

Slow responses

Response time includes OpenLimits routing and the upstream provider. Check the timing shown in your dashboard live feed when a request feels slow.

Using with Cursor's OpenAI mode

OpenLimits also exposes an OpenAI-compatible endpoint at /v1/chat/completions. You can configure Cursor to use this as a custom OpenAI provider if you prefer that format.

Claude Code Integration Guide: set up Claude Code with OpenLimits
Claude Code Rate Limits Explained: understand the limits OpenLimits changes
Claude Max vs OpenLimits: compare subscription options
API Documentation: full API reference