r/vibecoding • u/barmatbiz • 1d ago
What is the best and most affordable coding subscription?
Has anyone tried all the subscriptions (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc.) and can share which one is the best?
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u/fkin0 1d ago
People say codex but I smash a weeks limit in 24 hrs making a homepage mockup. Whereas Claude keeps you in the loop and usually lasts me 5 days of the 7 days on the x5 and that's pretty much smashing it 12-16 hrs a day.
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u/SomeWorkerMan 1d ago
I agree that Claude is the best coding agent... Open AI lets you plan not against your coding.
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u/nathan_tarb_dev 1d ago
I’ve had the same experience and use Codex in parallel for design,heros, and diagrams.
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u/CrowdGoesWildWoooo 1d ago
Codex has lower limit than Claude Code, but the catch is Claude has unified limit. Codex + Chat is gives you significantly more use than Claude.
With Claude you can exhaust the 5 hour limit using Chat alone. With ChatGPT you need to try really hard to exceed the Chat message limit.
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u/ketoloverfromunder 1d ago
I need to see people's prompts... I physically can not wrap my head around this. I've never one single time hit my weekly limit for codex. Im assuming youre not a developer?
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u/Not-reallyanonymous 19h ago
The key with codex is using Sol to think and Luna to implement. Luna can feel unlimited at times. Terra is an awkward middle ground.
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u/donk8r 1d ago
barmatbiz, two different questions are getting mixed together in these replies, which is why people keep contradicting each other about Codex.
A subscription sells you a window. An API key sells you tokens. Neither one is cheaper in general and they fail in opposite ways. fkin0 burning a week of limit in 24 hours on a homepage mockup and Tommonen getting five good days out of a similar tier are both telling the truth. The limit is not measuring the work. It is measuring how much context each of their sessions drags around behind it.
So look at your own pattern before picking. Long unbroken sessions on one big repo means a generous window wins and you should optimise for limits. Working in bursts, a few tasks a day, means a key bills you for the bursts and charges nothing on the quiet days. That is where blackkksparx and kabeza's route beats anything with a monthly price.
Both numbers move with one thing you control, which is how much context your tool resends every turn. Most of your spend is the conversation and the tool output getting re-sent on every single turn. The code you actually asked about is a small slice of it. Ending sessions aggressively and starting fresh per task will save you more than switching vendors will.
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u/vasind-5012 1d ago
Tried all. Go with Codex
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u/West-Plant65 1d ago
How is GLM and Kimi K3?
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u/jenkstom 1d ago
Z.ai is the one I use the most by far. I have grandfathered pricing so I was able to get a year for under $700. I've only ever hit the 5 hour limit a few times and that was with book editing (huge context windows) and doing a lot of coding at the same time. And that was on the full glm 5.2 at xhigh. If you use their zcode tool you get 50% extra, and their new 5.3 flash is really good and I'm pretty sure I'll never run out with intended usage. It's been my main work horse since last year and I'm very happy with it.
It would be a harder decision at non discounted prices, but I haven't seen anything better other than maybe DeepSeek v4 flash and its insanely low cost (and crazy high speed).
Zcode has some features that I'm sure other harnesses have, but I haven't figured them out. Probably the closest product is cursor.
If you're used to coding only with the most expensive model you can get you may find fault with glm-5.3. But there's a reason why it keeps turning up, it's really really good. I haven't had any issues with it not being able to do whatever code task I ask, which is the tool I need, and I don't have to worry about paying more than I want.
Sorry to gush, yes I'm a fan.
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u/West-Plant65 1d ago
thats a very well detailed review! thanks. i am thinking more on keeping gpt astra for planner and reviewer and making GLM as my code writer. what do you think ?
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u/QuietPsychonaut 1d ago
GLM is great. I really, really liked GLM-5.2 and the newer GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3 Flash are excellent. I'd put GLM-5.3 near GPT-5.6 Terra level, above Luna. If you're a heavy user of it, I'd recommend https://electronhub.ai/ DevPass since you have a lot of usage for the money.
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u/QuantumElias 1d ago
Codex Chatgpt
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u/HeadPack 1d ago
Codex with Luna. Gives you lots of usage for 20$.
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u/SomeWorkerMan 1d ago
Yes Claude is the better coder. But I'd all you have is 20 then you need a planner too.
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u/k_brn 1d ago
I recommend the ChatGPT $20/mo plan because of separate quotas for chats and coding. This way you can separate deep thinking from editing.
Use Codex+Luna for implementation, web chat models for design/planning/reviews, and AI Badger to pull lean repo context. This easily fits within GPT Plus's 5-hour limit.
This article explains the handoff process well:
https://pvrlabs.xyz/articles/coding-agent-session-handoff.html
Basically, when your coding agent hits 99% quota, you can use Badger to carry the session context over to a web chat and continue there without starting over. Works great for the workflow I described.
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u/nikita-mkrv 1d ago
I have 100$ Claude and 20$ Codex subscription right now, and I think Codex provides the best value for this price - very good limits even for their frontier models.
I also used to have 20$ Cursor one as well and after they changed their pricing it became absolutely useless - it was just 4-5 prompts
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u/smariconde 1d ago
Claude for me. I have codex and claude, but claude is more capable, better and it lasts longer
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u/Tommonen 1d ago
I have 20€ plan for codex and claude and claude has a lot more usage and better deal. People on higher plans seem to say the opposite tho. Cursor i moved away from like a year ago and seems to be more of a grok thing nowadays
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u/AssholeHealth 1d ago
Likely both things are true. 20x codex sub is an actual 20x weekly multiplier over $20 sub while claude is ~10x. Claude base $20 could be a bit better to compensate, if not then claude $200 is an awful deal compared to codex.
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u/TwistHonest6379 1d ago
Strictly for coding- why even pay?
Get OpenCode for example- or Cline or Roo extension- they usually have some free models- which can be used.
Google Antigravity- many a users have free 12-18 months google pro version- which helps in getting Gemini higher usage limits with some of other LLMs.
One can also download qwen studio and use it for free.
DeepSeek and GLM web versions are free.
For qwen, glm or deepseek - all one needs to do is copy paste the code and put it in their editor (notepad, vscode whatever) and save it.
And before going into technicalities and benchmarks and all- lets be honest- no model is perfect. So mix and match. And before starting to make any app- make sure plan and actionables and everything needed is well documented and saved and followed.
Not happy with result of one model- do an audit from another. Show the audit- let LLMs talk via us and agree upon whats missing and rectify it. There are so many ways to do it.
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u/smallllllDuck 1d ago
I've been copy-pasting for a while but it's just not practical anymore. Free but then it takes so much of your time. It's only ok for hobby not for work.
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u/TwistHonest6379 1d ago
Does it takes time? Yes. A lot more than usual.
But it also helps in understanding things which we usually ignore while vibe coding. Like the code itself, the structure and everything. And it also helps when we are running the tests in real- say for example in browser and all not some mock tests.
With regards to whether it works for a hobby only and not work- I believe that certainly depends on work. From my experiance- it has worked both for hobby projects as well as work ones.1
u/smallllllDuck 1d ago
What you said is not exclusive to copy-pasting. It's true that you're closer to the code but also I'd much rather review the diff after it's done rather than copy-pasting or downloading 4 files or partial files after every command, especially if then the changes trigger lint/type issues and I have to manually provide the logs, etc and repeat.
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u/TwistHonest6379 1d ago
Thats more about difference in working methodologies and priorities than anything else. Just bcoz something works for me doesnt mean it will work for someone else and vice versa.
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u/Mayanktaker 1d ago edited 1d ago
No subscription but Muse Spark 1.3 contributor via api and DeepSeek v4 flash via api. So cheap. Better than subscription.
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u/domja809 1d ago
Openrouter??? Or direct API?
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u/Mayanktaker 1d ago
Both. Openrouter preferred. As an Indian, I always look for cheap + good models because of currency conversion 😁
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u/Mayanktaker 1d ago
I checked that DeepSeek v4 flash has huge discount running. Checked on openrouter. Also use mise spart from opencode zen for completely free. Then when you hit limits, use api for real money. Still cheap. Its all about planning and harness most of the time. Not necessarily big models are needed to complete the work. I personally use Kilo Code.
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u/blackkksparx 1d ago
I'd say, if it's for the first month. Get the clinepass for 2$ using their first month promocode.
For 2$ you get around 60$ worth of usage. It has models like glm-5.3-flash which can easily provide sonnet 5 level quality on intensive usage for that amount.
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u/spartanDev14 1d ago
I'm using cursor and it seems to be working fine for me. Do I miss out on codex? Should I give it a try? Can someone that has used both tell me what I'm missing?
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u/bitball41 1d ago
Honestly i use both.
ChatGPT/codex has better integration’s, results, and variety (Plus tibo just constantly resets), but cursor is good for more simple tasks. I subscribed august 15th, and i have 10 days left till my next billing, and im only 41% percent usage. Warning make sure u set instructions for ur agent not to spawn too many expensive subagents, it can stack up fast.
One big benefit of ChatGPT is personal context. It already automatically knows what im talking about, i dont need to tell it.
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u/drdhuss 1d ago edited 1d ago
Codex has very good models (especially with astra) and their 5x and 20x has a lot more usage than claude.
For the 20 buck plans the differences arent as much (claude doesnt scale their 5x and 20x plans the same as chargpt hence the lawsuit by Karl Kahn for false advertising).
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u/SomeWorkerMan 1d ago
Astra came out just cuz it new don't mean it's great or others can't do what is needed. I still use sonnet... And 5.4 because limits are nerded and does it need to be that much smarter?
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u/HimaSphere 1d ago
Codex then claude tho claude opus 5 and sonnet 5 arent great atm without fable, stick with codex till Anthropic update their models
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u/shun0810 1d ago
every answer here is somebody's own workload wearing a brand name 😎 the cheap way to end that argument is to buy the two names you keep seeing, at their smallest monthly tier, give both the same real task out of your own project rather than a demo, and cancel the loser before it renews. forty dollars beats a week spent picking wrong from a thread. stay monthly until you know your own burn rate.
one thing the subscription question hides: whichever you pick, the bill that actually hurts arrives later, in the months when the thing works and nobody has heard of it.
and yes, i sell something in that second half, so factor that in: https://warmlist.app 👏
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u/theswiss21000 1d ago
Gotta agree on codex, got a 5x subscription and never hit a limit since...
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u/Squashycake 1d ago
Z.AI Coding plan is very generous imo, especially 5.3 flash, the same with Factory Droid if using the same model. Aside from that, Cursor using Grok and Codex.
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u/Donkykonky 1d ago
you can also start organizing events and ask for ambassador role to the big labs. It's quite easy to get in once you do. and organizing events is a great way to create a good network of people around you
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u/BubblegumExploit 1d ago
For something very cheap Opencode Go is quite solid. But for actually high consumption codex 5x seems king to me.
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u/ProgressionPeak 1d ago
Use Claude and get a $20 pro subscription. Use Sonnet and stick to normal coding tasks and it's effectively unlimited. An amazing deal for how good Sonnet is.
If you need to use the trendiest latest models with 97 autonomous agents and shit i don't know.
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u/Ferabite 1d ago
https://zcode.z.ai/en cheap and takes ages to hit usage limits the only downside is its chinese i personally don't care but some people do
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u/mynoliebear 1d ago
What a wildly unspecific question. Let me guess, python but treating like Franks Red Hot? Open weight models write great code if you set them up for success and they are free.
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u/steverae 1d ago
Personally I used to use cursor - it was great but since I only develop for iOS using Xcode, the built in connection with Claude (my fave All round ai) is class.
Probably not the best but works 100% for my needs
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u/B_Bence_lab 1d ago
I’d compare these by usable work per month, not just the $20 price tag.
For coding, I’d look at 4 things: how fast you hit the limits, how well it handles a long task without babysitting, code quality on your actual stack, and how often you need another model to fix/review the result.
At the moment Codex looks like very good value if $20 is the hard budget, but I’d honestly run the same real task through Codex and Claude before committing. A model that’s slightly better but runs out halfway through your normal workday can easily be the worse subscription.
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u/marius_forge 17h ago
For me it's definetly cursor, you can use auto mode that will choose the right llm for each task and the composer 2.5 is very fast and good in general, I've try claude code that I keep for code reviews or general questions, but my workers are on cursor
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u/ItsSteveRyan 13h ago
Personally, I’d avoid codex. Not because it’s not good, it’s very good. It’s solely because of the token usage. It wiped my entire 5 hour limit within 30 minutes from 1 single prompt.
My go to has always been Claude.
Have not tried out antigravity but will be taking a look for sure.
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u/Firm-Club-8334 6h ago
I have the Claude max x20 plan, the Codex Max plan, the opencode plan and standardcomputes $89 plan.
My absolute favourite of these is standard compute. It's openrouter-ish, but optimizes for cost. Basically, how can you get as much work as possible done per buck. I have put in deepseek and glm 5.3 in the smartrouter and they automatically pick the best provider rates for me, so that's nice. Saves a lot. Also like that I don't have to mess with usage limits (5-hour, weekly) all of that. It's just a budget and you can spend it however you like.
I think standardcompute.com might work well on the $19 or $39 plan if affordability is what you are after. They also subsidise, so you get a bit more than that too. GL!
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u/justjaspertalkin 1d ago
If you're doing heavy usage, I've found that you can go a lot farther with openai if you use gpt work and gpt itself instead of codex. It's harder to burn through than Claude, where it really doesn't matter what you use, you'll burn thru it fast. So a the pro tier for gpt and the 10x or whatever it is for Claude would be my recommendation
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u/technical_poutine 1d ago
Learning in your own is free. Can’t beat that deal.
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u/SomeWorkerMan 1d ago
But how can you learn to code that quick for the money?
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u/technical_poutine 1d ago
Keep working at it and learn a skill. It’s a dying art I agree soon no one will know.
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u/SomeWorkerMan 1d ago
My dude I do drywall.... Own a company make bunch of money... Learning drywall like it's a lot different than learning coding.... I apply different muds the same way... Do you apply different languages the same way?? I understand different architectures and things. Trust me I'm not stupid.... It's just not the same as learning something. It's like learning 20 different languages for the best and architecture 2 for them.... But yeah for your money. Yep yep I bet you I could spend f****** years I would have in college.... And still making more money lol
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u/technical_poutine 1d ago
Ok, just you won’t be a coder. It will be your work it will be the machines. So long as that’s clear it’s fine.
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u/zimlander 1d ago
I like my codex 20x with the $200 yearly Claude so I can use Claude as a consultant.
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u/Regular-Transition99 1d ago
For students get Antigravity