When Claude Code Channels launched, I was stoked — Claude on my phone, finally. Then I hit the limitations:

Only Telegram and Discord. I live in WhatsApp (most of the world does).

Everything routes through Anthropic's servers. Fine for most people, but I work with clients who have strict data policies.

Requires Pro subscription. I was already spending less via API keys for my usage pattern.

No budget controls. I wanted to give Claude access to my team without worrying about runaway costs.