StackVerdict

The cost calculator for solo builders

Subscription or API?
We do the math.

You've probably already shipped something with an AI tool — Lovable, Claude Code, one of the others. 10 tools, dozens of tool-and-model pairings later, the question is which one is actually worth paying for. Tell us what you're building — a Shopify app, a mobile app, a directory — and roughly how many hours a day you're at the keyboard with these tools. We'll tell you straight whether a flat subscription or your own API key (the credential that bills you directly for what you use) works out cheaper.

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  1. 1Task
  2. 2Usage
  3. 3Matches
What are you building?

How it works

  1. 01

    Pick your build

    A Shopify app needs different tooling than a browser extension. We match on the product, not the hype.

  2. 02

    Tell us your usage

    Slide to roughly how many hours a day you're actually using these tools. That's what decides subscription vs. API — not a vague monthly guess.

  3. 03

    See the real cost

    Every match shows its estimated monthly cost and, where it applies, what the same usage would cost on raw API pricing instead.