Use Claude Code with your own model on Runpod: No Anthropic account required

Self-hosting a model on RunPod offers several advantages, including cost savings, compliance, security, and the ability to fine-tune for domain-specific tasks. By utilizing an A4500 GPU at $0.25 per hour with a quantized 20B coding model, users can achieve notable cost efficiency compared to larger hosted models. This approach allows for right-sizing models to match task complexity, essential for generating simple code scripts without overpaying for advanced models. Self-hosting enhances control over sensitive data and allows for models to be inspected and configured to meet specific security requirements. The guide demonstrates how to set up a self-hosted environment using two RunPod pods: one for running the Ollama inference server and another for Claude Code as a development environment, with a focus on models that support tool calling. Real-world tests showed the small model's capability in creating functional terminal games like Snake and Tetris, although it struggled with tasks requiring extensive reasoning or vague prompts. While larger models may still be necessary for complex tasks, breaking work into smaller, specific tasks can improve outcomes for smaller models, making them a cost-effective alternative for well-defined coding tasks.