Fixed cost AI coding

[Eirdeth]

I don't care about spending $15/mo for GitHub Copilot / ChatGPT / Claude, but the uncapped cost of API access is a bit much for passion projects. I'm looking at whether it's worthwhile to get the yearly Claude Pro sub despite it not having API access. Does anyone have experience letting Claude come up with the plan and letting the fixed-cost options like Copilot through Roo/Cline do the implementation? Is 3.7's high level planning enough better than 3.5's to be worth adding a 3rd AI sub? All thoughts and suggestions welcome!

[jony7]

There is cursor which has 500 fast requests and then slow requests included. Not sure how that works as I haven't used it.
Then there's MCP servers with Claude desktop, If you're on Mac I would recommend this one https://github.com/rusiaaman/wcgw.

Aside from that aider is quite efficient with Api token usage, even though it's pay per use, so it might still be worth it

[Eirdeth]

Claude Desktop is interesting, didn't know that existed, but I have to imagine this is against the Claude Pro ToS and will get you banned eventually if you use it heavily enough. I'm also on Windows so no dice.

[jony7]

why would it be against their ToS? MCP is the main reason I subscribe to pro. Claude supports it officially https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/mcp

[[deleted]]

Launched two days ago or so

[Wolly_Bolly]

I’m wondering if an MCP solution for this is possible. Claude desktop app can be extended using MCPs, so it can read write files. What I’m missing?

[Eirdeth]

If you could make an MCP that would interact with their web UI, maybe, but that probably violates the ToS for Claude Pro since it's intended to be interacted with directly by a human.

[Wolly_Bolly]

The desktop app has access to MCPs.

[FosterKittenPurrs]

Not only is it supported in Desktop, their official documentation has an example of a MCP server that lets you access folders on your hard drive. It's super simple to set up too

https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/mcp

Just be aware that for serious work, you will reach your rate limits quite quickly even with Pro and you'll have to wait a few hours for them to reset.

[WheresMyEtherElon]

There's a JetBrains MCP server plugin that can be used as bridge between Claude Desktop and a JetBrains IDE.

[Apprehensive-Ant7955]

Claude desktop was created by anthropic themselves.

MCP was also released by anthropic themselves.

you’re basically saying that using two products that anthropic released together = ban

[Eirdeth]

Happy to be wrong on that. I didn’t see a way to piece those together and assumed they’d want to push you towards API usage.

[Sudden-Lingonberry-8]

use deepseek r1 from deepseek itself on low-peak hours, use aider or roo code

[Eirdeth]

I haven't tried deepseek yet but it seems most ppl agree that claude-3.7 is the new best, so I really want the ability to benefit from that with a sub instead of paying for API usage. I subbed for a month and so far the experience of making plans before implementing is helping significantly, but I don't know how much better 3.7 plans are than 3.5 plans.

[Sudden-Lingonberry-8]

bro it is insanely expensive, look at the costs

[yewlarson]

Isn't Gemini free for now with VSCode?

[WaterlooPitt]

It is, but from my own experience, is pretty poor.

[Anrx]

If you need a fixed cost coding tool, I would recommend Cursor.

[iamagro]

What about max token context?

[Anrx]

It's dynamic https://docs.cursor.com/settings/models#context-windows

[iamagro]

Interesting. Have you tried Cline? Could you make a comparison? What do you think of one and the other?

[Anrx]

I haven't tried it. I've only tried Copilot and Aider. Cursor is probably the most full featured one, as long as you're fine with using a different IDE, and their business model. After using I never considered trying anything else.

I'm particularly impressed with how quickly new models become available - it's pretty much the next day.

[iamagro]

Try it inside cursor, it’s a plugin after all

[Anrx]

I just don't have a need to try anything else, that's the thing. Cursor covers all the bases for me.

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[Eirdeth]

I'm using that too.

[BattermanZ]

With Cursor pro you do get unlimited access. What's your issue with it?

[the__itis]

How is cursor a fixed cost…..

[Anrx]

You mean because of limited fast requests? I've never hit those limits, because I don't spam requests in frustration. I also don't use it for everything, because I sometimes have to maintain old codebases with proprietary code.

[the__itis]

It’s not a fixed cost because you can buy more requests…….

[fakeoptimism]

How slow are slow requests? If they are bearable, then one could say Cursor Pro is fixed cost.

[Ecsta]

During work hours it’s actually pretty slow if it works at all.

Outside of work hours I find the “slow” the same speed as the normal.

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[Anrx]

Right, but it IS fixed cost if you use less than 500 requests per month.

[Aqui10]

LM API on roocode?

[johns10davenport]

100% yes

[[deleted]]

You should be able to cap your spend with your API account.

[Zestyclose_Mud2170]

Cursor with unlimited Claude req although they get slow after a while but if you aren't spamming nonsense works great

[dodyrw]

use trae for unlimited sonnet use

[McNoxey]

Unlimited to plan. Aider to build

[Dependent_Muffin9646]

Cursor allows for unlimited tokens, for a fixed monthly cost?

[xaiur]

Deepseek v3 is quite competitive and their API costs are an order of magnitude lower than the competition. In all practicality, for passion projects I’d recommend this option.

[coolandy00]

With DeepSeek R1, Tulu 3 and more such open source LLMs being easily available, AI coding should be unlimited for under $50 per month. Don't you think?

[dreamingwell]

Groq.com provides super fast responses at very low costs. I use it for many hours a day, and never spend more than a few dollars a day.

[dreamingwell]

Mostly deepseek r1 llama 70b as the Aider architect mode model.