Kickbacks

_{build 2026-05-25T21:56:43Z}

Get paid while you code. Half of every ad dollar goes to you.

How it works

Kickbacks works with the Claude Code and Codex VS Code extensions. While either tool is thinking, its spinner shows a random verb ("Discombobulating...", "Baking..."). Kickbacks replaces that verb with a tiny, clickable sponsored line. Advertisers bid for the slot; 50% of every dollar they spend is credited to you.

Your balance shows in the VS Code status bar and updates in real time.

Features

Earn passively — impressions and clicks accrue while Claude Code or Codex works. Clicks earn 50× an impression.
50/50 revenue split — half of advertiser spend is yours, credited per impression and click.
Fully reversible — one click restores Claude Code to its original state.
Zero interference — never reads your code, prompts, or completions.
Auto-updates — new versions install silently in the background.

Getting started

Install from the VS Code marketplace (search Kickbacks).
Click Kickbacks: Sign in in the status bar.
Authenticate with Google.
Start using Claude Code. Earnings begin automatically.

Your balance appears in the status bar: Kickbacks ($0.42 today · $7.11)

Status bar

State	Meaning
Kickbacks: Sign in	Not signed in yet. Click to authenticate.
Kickbacks ($0.42 today · $7.11)	Signed in and earning.
Kickbacks incompatible	Your Claude Code version isn't supported yet.
Kickbacks offline	Backend is temporarily unreachable.

Click the status bar to open the Kickbacks menu (sign in/out, enable/disable, restore Claude Code, check for updates, open debug log).

Privacy

Kickbacks communicates only with the Kickbacks backend at kickbacks.ai. It sends:

An anonymous device ID (not tied to your identity until you sign in).
Per-impression events (ad ID, surface, visible time, click).
Your Google email only after you sign in, so earnings can be credited.

Kickbacks never reads your code, prompts, completions, or any chat content.

Patching is done by modifying Claude Code's webview/index.js from a byte-exact backup. The patch is fully reversible — select Restore Claude Code from the menu at any time.

Commands

Open the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):

Command	Description
Kickbacks: Sign in	Authenticate with Google.
Kickbacks: Sign out	Sign out and stop earning.
Kickbacks: Restore Claude Code	Revert to unpatched Claude Code.
Kickbacks: Debug Menu	Open the full Kickbacks menu.

Compatibility

Designed for the VS Code extension versions of Claude Code and Codex — not the standalone terminal CLIs. Works on local VS Code, Remote-SSH, devcontainers, and code-server.

If Kickbacks can't find a compatible Claude Code or Codex extension, it does nothing. It will never break your editor.

FAQ

Does this affect Claude Code or Codex? No. The only change is the spinner text and the idle usage banner. All Claude Code and Codex features work exactly as before.

How do I get paid? Earnings are tracked on the Kickbacks backend. Visit kickbacks.ai to view your balance and set up payouts.

Can I turn it off? Yes. Click the status bar and select Disable Kickbacks, or run Restore Claude Code to fully revert.

Is my code safe? Kickbacks has no access to your code, prompts, or AI responses. It only modifies the spinner display text.

kickbacks.ai

Kickbacks.ai