Paying for Claude with MB WAY: Claude Pro, the API, and Claude Code in Portugal

Claude Pro and Max cannot be paid for with MB WAY: on claude.ai, Anthropic accepts only credit or debit cards and does not accept PayPal, while in the Claude app the charge is made by the App Store or Google Play, which also do not list MB WAY in Portugal. Isto consta do centro de ajuda da Anthropic (questions about paid-plan billing e declined cards) e das páginas de ajuda da Apple e da Google, consultadas a October 3, 2026. Com MB WAY paga-se outra coisa: a Claude API e o Claude Code with an API key, através do Kunavo, um gateway independente com saldo pré-pago. O carregamento mínimo é de US$ 10; a página de pagamento da Stripe mostra o valor em euros, o MB WAY aparece ao lado do cartão e a aprovação faz-se na app MB WAY. Não é uma subscrição nem paga o Claude Pro: o saldo não expira, não há mensalidade e os pedidos que falham não são cobrados. Métodos de pagamento e preços verificados a October 3, 2026.

Three ways to pay for Claude from Portugal, and where MB WAY fits in

Who charges you changes with the product, and that determines whether MB WAY works:

The third row is not the Pro plan: it is API access to the same Claude models, and most of this page concerns it.

Claude Pro in Portugal: price and how to pay without a credit card

Portugal está na lista de países onde a Anthropic disponibiliza o Claude.ai e a API (list of supported countries, consultada a October 3, 2026).

Price on the website. Em claude.com/pricing, consultado a partir de um servidor nos EUA, o Pro custa US$ 20 por mês, ou US$ 17 por mês com pagamento anual (US$ 200 de uma vez), e o Max começa em US$ 100 por mês; a página avisa que os preços não incluem os impostos aplicáveis. O preço em euros, e o IVA, que o claude.ai mostra a quem está em Portugal não foram verificados para esta página.

Price in the App Store. Na App Store portuguesa, a app Claude mostra estas compras integradas (app page in the App Store, consultada a October 3, 2026):

These are Apple Store prices, charged by Apple; we have not verified whether they include VAT or compared them with claude.ai. A subscription made in the app is paid to Apple or Google, not Kunavo, and Kunavo balance cannot pay for it.

What the App Store and Google Play accept in Portugal

Fontes: Apple, Apple account payment methods (página publicada a 5 de agosto de 2026) e Google Play, Portugal, consultadas a October 3, 2026. São listas da loja, não do Claude: a janela de pagamento da loja mostra quais servem para esta subscrição.

Without a credit card: debit card or MB NET virtual card

A debit card works. A Anthropic aceita cartões de crédito e de débito (help center). Se o cartão for recusado no claude.ai, a Anthropic sugere, por esta ordem: confirmar que o país de faturação é suportado, verificar a morada de faturação, concluir a verificação 3D Secure, usar um método aceite, confirmar que há saldo, tentar de novo e contactar o banco.

MB NET virtual card. Para quem não quer usar o cartão físico, a app MB WAY cria cartões MB NET. Segundo a SIBS, o MB NET serve para compras em qualquer loja online que aceite cartões Visa, Mastercard ou AMEX, de comerciantes nacionais e internacionais (MB WAY frequently asked questions, consultadas a October 3, 2026). Há três tipos:

• One-time Purchase: valid for up to 2 months and up to 4 transactions;
• Multiple Purchases;
• Recurring Payment: valid for up to 12 months, for paying monthly subscriptions with a single merchant, up to the monthly amount set when it is created. SIBS presents it as the card for subscriptions (using Spotify as an example); this would be the type to use for a monthly plan such as Claude Pro, if claude.ai accepts it.

To create it, according to SIBS: in the app, Criar Cartão MB NET → choose the type → set the card's maximum amount (minimum €5) and, for the Multiple Purchases and Recurring Payment types, the validity period → enter the MB WAY PIN. Before creating it, check the final price, including taxes, on claude.ai so you can choose a maximum amount that is sufficient. Because the Recurring Payment card lasts a maximum of 12 months, renewal will stop working when it expires, and you will need to create another one and update it on claude.ai. In the event of a refund, SIBS says the merchant can return the amount to the MB NET card even if it has already expired or been canceled.

Attention: Anthropic does not mention virtual cards, and we have not verified whether claude.ai accepts an MB NET. If it is declined, the remaining options are a debit card or subscribing through the app.

Paying for the Claude API with MB WAY: step by step

You need:

• an email address or a Google account for registration;
• a app MB WAY ativa, com um número de telemóvel português (+351) ou um número estrangeiro associado a um cartão de um banco português aderente ao MB WAY (SIBS);
• US$ 10, the minimum top-up, which checkout displays already converted to euros.

For a first test, US$ 10 is more than enough: Claude Haiku 4.5 costs US$ 0,70 per million input tokens and US$ 3,50 per million output tokens, so one hundred short requests (1000 input tokens and 300 output tokens each) cost about US$ 0,175.

1. Create an account

Sign up for Kunavo with your email or Google account. No card is required to sign up; you enter the dashboard without paying anything.

2. Open Billing and choose the amount

In the dashboard, open Billing and choose a top-up. Amounts are in dollars because token prices are in dollars; the amount in euros appears in the next step, before you confirm anything.

3. Choose MB WAY on the Stripe payment page

Ao confirmar o valor, abre-se uma página de pagamento da Stripe. A partir de Portugal, a Stripe mostra normalmente o valor em euros, e com o valor em euros aparece o MB WAY ao lado do cartão e do Link; no Safari ou num iPhone aparece também o Apple Pay, e no Chrome ou no Android o Google Pay, se estiver configurado. O MB WAY só funciona em euros (Stripe): se a página estiver em dólares, o MB WAY não aparece.

4. Enter the mobile phone number

Introduza o número de telemóvel associado ao MB WAY. Na Stripe, o pagamento MB WAY começa pelo número de telemóvel e é aprovado na app (Stripe documentation on MB WAY, consultada a October 3, 2026). A maioria dos utilizadores tem um número português começado por +351, mas a Stripe aceita números internacionais.

5. Approve in the MB WAY app within 4 minutes

Chega uma notificação à app MB WAY: abra-a, autorize o pagamento e volte à página do Kunavo (Stripe). Se a notificação não aparecer, a compra também se confirma na área de atividade da app (SIBS, online purchases). A SIBS indica que a compra tem de ser confirmada em 4 minutos, dependendo do comerciante; depois disso, o pedido expira (MB WAY frequently asked questions). Se expirar, volte a Billing e repita o pagamento.

6. The balance is added when Stripe confirms

Com o MB WAY, a Stripe sabe logo se o pagamento foi aceite ou recusado (Stripe), e o carregamento só é creditado depois dessa confirmação: o novo saldo aparece em Billing. Se demorar, atualize a página antes de voltar a pagar. Cada pagamento é creditado uma única vez, por isso um segundo pagamento soma saldo; não corrige o primeiro.

7. Create the key and make the first call

With the balance loaded, create a key at /app/keys. It starts with sk-kn- and is shown only once: copy it immediately. Then, all you need is a curl:

# Com o saldo carregado, a primeira chamada (formato OpenAI).
curl https://api.kunavo.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $KUNAVO_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-5",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Responda numa linha: funciona?"}]
  }'

If you already have code written for the OpenAI SDK, the API is compatible with that format: only the key and base_url need to be changed.

# Código já escrito para o SDK da OpenAI: muda só a chave e o base_url.
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="sk-kn-...",                    # crie-a em kunavo.com/app/keys
    base_url="https://api.kunavo.com/v1",   # a única linha que muda
)

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="claude-sonnet-5",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Olá!"}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)

The Anthropic SDK also works, in Messages format, with base_url="https://api.kunavo.com" (without /v1) and the same key.

MB WAY at this checkout: time limits, limits, and refunds

O que convém saber antes de pagar, segundo a documentação da Stripe sobre o MB WAY (overview e checkout) e as SIBS frequently asked questions, todas consultadas a October 3, 2026:

• Euros only. On Stripe, MB WAY accepts payments only in euros. That is why it appears when the payment page displays euros and disappears if the payment is made in dollars.
• 4 minutes to approve. According to SIBS, the online purchase must be confirmed in the app within 4 minutes, depending on the merchant; after that, the request expires.
• From €0.50 to €5000 per payment. This is the range Stripe accepts for MB WAY. If the euro amount of the selected top-up exceeds €5000, that top-up must be paid by card.
• Daily limit of €1000 by default. The limit is cumulative: it adds up all MB WAY purchases for the day, and can be increased to €10,000 in the app under More → Settings → Security → Purchase limits (SIBS and Stripe). Before a large top-up (US$ 1000 ou US$ 5000), check the limit in the app.
• No recurring payments. On Stripe, MB WAY works only for one-time payments: it does not save the payment method or allow automatic charges. Each top-up with MB WAY is manual; Kunavo's automatic top-up requires a saved card or Link.
• “Stripe Inc” appears on the statement. MB WAY does not accept custom descriptors, so the bank statement shows “Stripe Inc” and the amount, rather than the Kunavo name (according to Stripe).
• Refunds up to 365 days. Stripe allows MB WAY payments to be refunded, in full or in part, up to 365 days afterward, usually within a few minutes. On Kunavo, refunds are reviewed case by case (see Limitations below).
• Disputes. In cases of suspected fraud, duplicate payment, or a difference between the purchase amount and the transaction amount, the customer can open a dispute (Stripe).

To be precise: Stripe offers MB WAY for payments in euros, which is why it is available in Kunavo's checkout, but as of the date of this page, no top-up has yet been paid with MB WAY through Kunavo. If MB WAY does not appear or fails, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link remain available on the same page.

Payment methods in Kunavo's checkout for customers paying from Portugal

Kunavo is an independent API gateway: one key and a prepaid balance, compatible with the OpenAI SDK and Anthropic's Messages API, for Claude models and others, paid per token. Stripe's payment page displays the methods that match the country and currency. These are available:

Not available: Multibanco reference, PayPal, SEPA direct debit, and Bizum; Klarna is offered only to customers paying from the United States. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link use a saved card, which may be a debit card.

Why is there no Multibanco reference? Os preços do Kunavo estão em dólares, e o checkout em euros vem do Adaptive Pricing da Stripe, que converte o preço para a moeda local. A Stripe's page on Adaptive Pricing (consultada a October 3, 2026) enumera os métodos de pagamento locais que essa conversão disponibiliza: o MB WAY está na lista, a referência Multibanco não. Por isso o checkout não gera referências Multibanco. Também na Anthropic, que só aceita cartões, não há referência Multibanco.

How much it costs in euros and how to avoid the conversion fee

Prices are in dollars per million tokens:

All models and prices are on the pricing page; the Claude API price in euros guide calculates the cost by model and task.

The conversion. A Stripe mostra o valor em euros a uma taxa de câmbio garantida durante 24 horas, que inclui uma 2–4% conversion fee paga por quem compra (Stripe documentation on Adaptive Pricing, consultada a October 3, 2026). Num carregamento de US$ 10, são entre US$ 0,20 e US$ 0,40. Como o MB WAY só funciona em euros, leva sempre esta comissão.

How to avoid it. Choose to pay in dollars on the payment page and use a card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Link: according to Stripe, customers who pay in the original currency do not pay this fee, but their bank may apply its own exchange rate and fees. For a small top-up, the fee is a few cents; for a large top-up, compare it with what your bank charges for purchases in dollars.

Larger top-ups include bonuses: US$ 100 paid, US$ 110, US$ 1000 paid, US$ 1200 e US$ 5000 paid, US$ 6250 credited credited credited to your balance.

Quem tem cartão pode também pagar a API diretamente na Consola da Anthropic. Aí os créditos são pré-pagos, expiram um ano depois da compra e não são reembolsáveis (Anthropic help center, consultado a October 3, 2026). O saldo do Kunavo não expira.

Use the key in Claude Code

Claude Code works with the same key; usage is charged per token from the same balance topped up with MB WAY, with no subscription:

# Claude Code com a mesma chave; o consumo sai do mesmo saldo, por token.
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.kunavo.com   # sem /v1
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-kn-...
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL=claude-sonnet-5
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL=claude-opus-5-5
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL=claude-sonnet-5
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL=claude-haiku-4-5
claude

Why pin the models. As três linhas ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_* fixam os aliases do Claude Code em modelos que o Kunavo serve. Os aliases seguem os modelos mais recentes da Anthropic: com uma chave de API, opus aponta para o Opus 5.5 e sonnet para o Sonnet 5.5 (Claude Code documentation, consultada a October 3, 2026). O Kunavo não serve o Sonnet 5.5, por isso, sem ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL, o /model sonnet, a fase de execução do opusplan e os subagentes configurados com sonnet recebem um 404. O alias opus fica no Claude Opus 5.5, que exige o Claude Code v2.1.280 ou mais recente (numa versão anterior, claude update).

Why ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN. O Claude Code envia-o no cabeçalho Authorization: Bearer e usa-o de imediato. O ANTHROPIC_API_KEY também funciona, porque o Kunavo lê a chave tanto em Authorization: Bearer como em x-api-key, mas em modo interativo o Claude Code pede uma aprovação única antes de o usar em vez da subscrição (Claude Code environment variables, consultadas a October 3, 2026).

Limitation. Com o ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL a apontar para um servidor que não é o da Anthropic, a pesquisa de ferramentas MCP fica desligada por omissão e, desde a v2.1.196, o Remote Control fica desativado (same page).

Installation on macOS, Linux, and Windows is covered in the install Claude Code guide, and the complete configuration, including the model for background tasks, is in the Claude Code documentation on Kunavo.

If MB WAY does not appear or the payment fails

• The page is in dollars. MB WAY appears only with an amount in euros. A VPN or proxy outside Portugal may cause Stripe to select another currency: disable them and reopen the checkout from Billing.
• The request expired. The 4 minutes indicated by SIBS for confirmation have passed. Return to Billing and repeat the payment.
• The payment was declined. Check in the MB WAY app whether the daily purchase limit was reached (€1000 by default, cumulative); if so, increase it under More → Settings → Security → Purchase limits and try again.
• The number is not accepted. It must be the number associated with MB WAY; a foreign number works only if it is associated with a card from a Portuguese bank (SIBS).

If it still does not work, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link remain available on the same page. The complete list of payment methods by country is in the balance and payments documentation.

Limitations

• Automatic top-up is available only with a card or Link. MB WAY does not support recurring payments, so each top-up with MB WAY is manual. To replenish the balance automatically, save a card (it may be a debit card) or use Link.
• No invoices. Kunavo does not issue invoices, with or without a tax identification number or VAT. The top-up history, with date, amount, and status, is available in Billing.
• Refunds are handled case by case. Pedem-se através de support@kunavo.com; por omissão o valor volta como saldo e, a pedido, é devolvido pela Stripe ao método original. Com o Adaptive Pricing, a Stripe usa a mesma taxa de câmbio do pagamento, por isso devolve em euros o mesmo valor que foi pago (Stripe).
• It is a usage-based API, not Claude Pro. The balance pays for API calls and Claude Code with an API key; it does not activate a subscription on claude.ai or work in the Claude app.
• The minimum is in dollars. US$ 10, with a euro amount that depends on the day's exchange rate.

In other countries

The same question for other countries: the pay Claude API without a credit card guide (in English) lists payment methods country by country, and customers paying from Brazil have a dedicated guide for Brazil. To get started: create an account, top up US$ 10 with MB WAY, and make the first call.

Frequently asked questions