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Claude Models on Google Cloud (Anthropic managed)

Author
Anthropic
Published
22 October 2026
Added
23 October 2026
Original
https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/claude-models-on-google-cloud/anthropic-managed

Summary

A new way to use Claude on Google Cloud, launched on 2026-10-22 (Claude platform release notes). Anthropic runs the Claude API itself, and you reach it through your Google Cloud project. Google Cloud IAM controls access and Google Cloud Marketplace handles billing. It sits alongside the existing Google-managed offering (Vertex AI). Fast mode for Opus 5.5 is available from launch.

Key points

  • Setup: subscribe to the Marketplace listing and run gcloud services enable claude.googleapis.com .... This creates a new, separate Anthropic organization; existing organizations, API keys, and Enterprise orgs cannot be converted. Grant IAM roles, then set ANTHROPIC_GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT and ANTHROPIC_GOOGLE_CLOUD_WORKSPACE_ID. For Python, install pip install -U "anthropic[google_cloud]". Requests go to https://claude.googleapis.com/v1/projects/<project>/locations/global/workspaces/<id>/invoke/v1/messages.
  • Auth: Google Cloud credentials only (Application Default Credentials); there are no API keys. The SDK ignores ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL for this route.
  • Features: about the same as the first-party API. That includes tool use (web search and fetch, code execution, memory, advisor, MCP connector), Agent Skills, Files, prompt caching, thinking, structured outputs, batches, fast mode, and Claude Managed Agents (including scheduled deployments and self-hosted sandboxes). Context windows match the Claude API.
  • Not supported: API keys, MCP tunnels, memory stores on self-hosted environments, and the pre-built self-hosted sandbox workers in the CLI and SDKs (write your own worker against the Environments Work endpoints).
  • Billing: charges come through Marketplace in Claude Consumption Units (1 unit = $0.01) and count towards Google Cloud spend commitments. Rate limits are Anthropic's. Anthropic is the data processor, and some services, such as trust and safety, run outside Google Cloud. ZDR is available on request.
  • Logging: Cloud Audit Logs under claude.googleapis.com. Data Access logs (most routes) are off by default.
  • Managed Agents caveat: access is checked only when a session or deployment is created. Revoking IAM does not stop running sessions or scheduled deployments.

Why it matters

Google Cloud customers can now get Anthropic's own API, with day-one features such as fast mode, Managed Agents, and skills, while keeping Google IAM and billing. Moving over means setting up a new organization: files, skills, and agents do not carry over.