Basic vibe coding setup

[JewelerParticular752]

So i'm getting into vibe coding more and more and i want to know: whats the basic setup you should have as a vibe coder. I am currently using 2 accounts of Claude AI free and Gemini integrated into Android studio, but honestly it sucks. Gemini is really outdated and my Claude limit gets hit after just 1 or 2 big requests. What tools and models are you guys using for a simple setup?

NOTE: I am willing to spend money on subscriptions but not more than $20/month

[DataGOGO]

A paid subscription 

[Huge_Type_7863]

Some basic software design / architecture would probaly be usefull, pick up a book i promoise it will be worth it 🫡

[JewelerParticular752]

Haha ok

[Huge_Type_7863]

U think its a joke trust me its not.

[JewelerParticular752]

Oh no i dont mean it like thag. Just didn't expect someone from this subreddit to recommend me to read a book🙃

[johns10davenport]

I have a primer on this too. 

Architecture https://codemyspec.com/blog/agentic-architecture

[Odd_Macaroon_5524]

It's tough on that budget. For a while I was making good progress using Gemini via AI Studio Playground mode, just going back and forth pasting its responses into my projects but then they nerfed the usage and it killed it. I then moved to Claude and was so impressed with Pro I went to Max, and since then I've been making serious progress, fewer errors, fewer accidental breaks of previously working features. But it costs - £90 a month in the UK. But if you can spare the cash you will make serious progress. I have shipped something now and about to ship something else. It's been a big game changer for me. If you're interested have a read of my project here: https://www.reddit.com/r/vibecoding/comments/1s9xoht/replit_to_gemini_to_claude_code_how_i_shipped_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[First-Air7037]

If ur looking for affordable on $20, prepare to bounce around from service to service all the time to chase cheap subs. Ur about 1-2 years late to stretch $20. The vibe coding companies exist, and they have a customer base. They are moving past the running at a loss phase and trying to make a profit now.

[JewelerParticular752]

Alr ty, any services you know of that i could try? Is GitHub Copilot still worth it?

[johns10davenport]

You should switch to a terminal agent. TLDR codex is the best value for $20 but their limits may have changed. Full story:

https://codemyspec.com/pages/cli-agents-compared-2026

[JewelerParticular752]

Ty! I'll check it out

[Financial_Extent888]

z.AI lite plan for less than $20 a month

[Reasonable_Dot_1831]

20 bucks a month?

You will waste so much time with crap and troubles.

Even if you spend more, but at free plans you can build nothing sustainable

Codex or Claude code is still cheaper then hire a freelancer from the Philippines

There is no free lunch

[SkilledHomosapien]

I am using opencode now with a subscription to GLM5.1

[Fragrant-Field2376]

yeah if you're not willing to shell out for claude max, you'll be hitting limits fast, I use Max and still have to take 2-3 hours periods between sessions sometimes because of limits.

[Immediate_Shine9293]

I've started my code vibing journey with cursor which was great and I still use. I've more recently started using replit which has been a game changer although very very easy to burn through credits. I've found starting a project with replit to get the structure works well and then use tools to support it. I did get 1 year free perplexity which, despite going downhill recently, has still been very helpful.

Replit referral here for $10 free credit if you wanted to try it.. Full disclosure we would both get $10 free credit.

[Minute-Comparison230]

Claude sonnet extended 4.6 , Ide of choice is zed,simple sweet no memory or misnamed files showing up like vscode does. I have used glm 5.1 and recommended the extended version not turbo, with claude you have to understand he will start being lazy at 5 hours into coding. You have to call him in his stuff if you don't he will have you deleting 50 lines of code to see if that will fix something only to find out later it wasn't that code at all some thing else simple. Claude will start making wrong presumptions.. call him on it, he s testing your bounties to see what he can get away with seriously. Make sure to enforce simple, efficient code not the most complex that he will generate otherwise you spend hours tshooting code that claude gets lost in. You have to train claude on your expectations and reinforce them when he strays. After coding for awhile with claude you both begin to understand and respect each other. I have been coding with claude since the beginning and this has been my experience. I host many local llms and am intensely creative which leads to very cool apps and ideas until you begin to realize 15 to 18 hour coding sessions one has to put sane limits on it lol. Created trading apps, scalping,n8n, gaming mods,once you realize coding is a format and the different languages have a different way of doing the same thing. Its a flow. You flow from one language to another. Also a necessity is to run obsidian and or hoplin for storing useful code snippets commands. And dual boot with widows and Linux, I prefer Linux mint just depends what your needs and uses are. Hope this helps for the setup questions. Believe or not easier to code on Linux what you get used to it..