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Set Up Cline with MonoRouter

Configure Cline's built-in "OpenAI Compatible" provider to route through your Claude Pro or Max subscription. No config file editing required.


What you need

  • A Claude Pro or Max subscription at claude.ai
  • VS Code with the Cline extension installed
  • A MonoRouter account — sign up at /signup
  • A MonoRouter API key (mrk_*) — get one at /keys
  • Your Claude subscription connected to MonoRouter — go to /tokens, click [ + add token ], and run the auto-connect script

Sign up for MonoRouter

Open /signup, enter your email and set a password. Save the six recovery codes — they're your offline fallback if you lose your password; you can also always reset it by email at /forgot-password.

Connect your Claude subscription

From the dashboard, go to /tokens, click [ + add token ], and pick ANTHROPIC. Use the auto-connect tab — it's the fastest.

The modal shows a one-liner like this:

bash
curl -sSL https://api.monorouter.dev/connect.sh | bash -s -- mrc_xxxxxxxxxxxx

Paste it into a terminal. The script runs claude setup-token, which opens a browser window for authorization and creates a long-lived token. When the dashboard flips to connected, you're done.

Configure the provider in Cline

Open the Cline panel in VS Code, click the settings gear, and set:

  • API Provider: OpenAI Compatible
  • Base URL: https://api.monorouter.dev/v1
  • API Key: your MonoRouter key (mrk_your_key_here)
  • Model ID: e.g. claude-sonnet-5
Already have an openclaw.json? The OpenClaw guide has a config merger that folds MonoRouter into an existing config file instead of using the settings UI.

Verify it works

Start a new Cline task and ask it something simple. Or test the endpoint directly with curl:

bash
curl -X POST https://api.monorouter.dev/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer mrk_your_key_here" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-5",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]
  }'

A 200 with a JSON response means you're done. The call also shows up on /dashboard within a second or two.


Choosing a model

Set the Cline model ID to any of these:

ModelIDContextMax output
Fable 5claude-fable-51M128k
Opus 4.8claude-opus-4-81M128k
Opus 4.7claude-opus-4-71M128k
Opus 4.6claude-opus-4-61M128k
Sonnet 5claude-sonnet-51M128k
Sonnet 4.6claude-sonnet-4-61M128k
Haiku 4.5claude-haiku-4-5-20251001200k64k

Troubleshooting

  • 401 Unauthorized — your connected token expired or was revoked. Go to /tokens and reconnect it; the auto-connect script issues a fresh long-lived token.
  • 429 Too Many Requests — you've hit your plan's quota. Free accounts get 1,500 lifetime calls, Hobby ($9/month) adds 10,000 calls/month, Pro ($29/month) is unlimited for personal use, and Team ($99/month) pools quota across 5 seats. Check /billing to upgrade.
  • Streaming is fully supported — Cline's task output streams normally through MonoRouter.

Pricing

  • 1,500 successful calls are free for the lifetime of your account. Failed calls don't count.
  • After that, paid plans start at $9/month (Hobby, 10,000 calls). Pro is $29/month for unlimited personal use; Team is $99/month for 5 pooled seats. See /billing for the payment flow.

FAQ

Is this the same as the OpenClaw guide?

Almost — OpenClaw is Cline running with its own config-merger flow. This guide covers Cline’s stock "OpenAI Compatible" provider directly, which is the fastest path if you don’t need the config merger.

Which model ID should I use?

Type the exact model ID in the Cline provider settings, e.g. claude-sonnet-5. Cline sends it verbatim to MonoRouter, which maps it to the matching Claude model.

Does Cline support streaming through MonoRouter?

Yes. Cline streams task output over the OpenAI-compatible endpoint, so responses appear incrementally the same way they would with a direct OpenAI or Anthropic key.

Can I switch between multiple Claude models in Cline?

Yes. Add each model ID as a separate entry in Cline’s model dropdown (or edit the config directly) — MonoRouter routes each request based on the model field, so no separate key or base URL is needed per model.

Ready to get started?

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guide: set up Cline with MonoRouter · monorouter