Cursor + OpenLimits
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 (any plan — free, Pro, or Business)
- An OpenLimits account — sign up here
Step 1: Get Your API Key
Sign up at openlimits.app and go to your dashboard. Copy your API key from the overview page.
Step 2: 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
Step 3: Select Models
Enable the Claude models you want to use in Cursor:
- Claude Opus 4: Best for complex reasoning, architecture decisions, and large refactors
- Claude Sonnet 4: Great balance of speed and capability for everyday coding
- Claude Haiku 3.5: Fast and efficient for quick edits, completions, and simple tasks
All models are available through OpenLimits with no per-model limits. Switch between them freely based on the task at hand.
Step 4: Verify
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.
Benefits Over Built-In Claude
Using OpenLimits with Cursor instead of Cursor's built-in Claude gives you:
- No rate limits: Cursor's Claude integration has its own usage caps. OpenLimits has none.
- All models always available: No restrictions on which models you can use or when.
- Token analytics: See exactly how many tokens each request uses in your OpenLimits dashboard.
- Same key everywhere: Use the same OpenLimits API key across Cursor, Claude Code, Conductor, and any other tool.
- Predictable cost: €120/mo flat vs Cursor's premium tiers for more Claude access.
Alternative: Environment Variables
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-keyCursor 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
OpenLimits adds minimal latency (under 50ms). If responses are slow, it's likely Anthropic's API being slow, not the proxy. Check the latency column in your dashboard live feed to confirm.
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.
Related
- Claude Code Integration Guide — set up Claude Code CLI with OpenLimits
- Claude Code Rate Limits Explained — understand the limits OpenLimits eliminates
- Claude Max vs OpenLimits — compare subscription options
- API Documentation — full API reference