Stop paying top price for work a cheaper AI model does just as well. The map plots independent test scores against what each model costs per task, so you can see where spending more stops buying better results, and pick the cheapest model and effort level that gets your job done.
Before you choose a model for a new task, set up a scheduled run, or write instructions for an AI tool. Also when your usage limit or bill climbs and you need to know what to downgrade.
Scores climb slowly while cost climbs fast. The top setting can cost hundreds of times more than a small model for about twice the score, and some cheaper models match pricier ones outright.
Find your kind of work under Sweet spots below and take the listed pick. Move up to the upgrade only if the pick fails. To explore, choose a test, filter by vendor, and hover a dot for its cost. The ringed dot is the best value on that view. Then copy the instruction text near the bottom into Claude, ChatGPT, or Codex so they choose this way by default.
The plugin asks this guide for the current pick each time you use it and cites the Revision, so nothing here needs re-pasting when picks change. It is free, read-only and needs no account. To install, copy one prompt and paste it into the AI app you want it in. An app with a terminal installs and checks it. A chat app replies with the exact clicks. Install one edition per app.
For people who use more than one of Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Gemini or Grok. After install it asks which platforms you use and builds one setup prompt. That prompt adds the guidance to your instructions and one refresh task on each platform, every two weeks on Saturday at 10 PM, and keeps only one such task active.
Install the AI Token Saver (All Platforms) plugin for me. Source: https://github.com/robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver 1. Work out which app you are. Check whether it is already installed and say so instead of installing twice. 2. Show me the commands you will run, then run them: - Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver` then `claude plugin install ai-token-saver-all@ai-token-saver` - Codex: `codex plugin marketplace add robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver` then `codex plugin add ai-token-saver-all@ai-token-saver` These commands write to ~/.codex. If the sandbox blocks them with “Operation not permitted”, request approval to run them outside the sandbox. If approval is unavailable, give me both commands to run in my own Terminal and wait until I say done before verification. After an attempted install, inspect the installed state before retrying to avoid duplicates. - Any other agent with a shell (Gemini CLI, Antigravity and similar): add `https://ai-token-saver.vercel.app/mcp` as a Streamable HTTP MCP server named ai-token-saver with no authentication, using the command or config file your own documentation gives. Then save https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver/main/plugins/ai-token-saver-all/skills/model-guidance-all/SKILL.md into your skills folder as model-guidance-all/SKILL.md. If you have no skills folder, tell me and stop after the server is added. - A chat app with no shell (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok in a browser or phone): you cannot install it yourself. Give me the exact clicks to add a custom MCP server or connector with the address https://ai-token-saver.vercel.app/mcp and no authentication, and tell me if my plan or workspace admin may block it. 3. Verify. List the installed plugins or MCP servers and confirm AI Token Saver is there. If the get_guidance tool is available in this chat, call it once with my platform and show me the Revision. If it only loads in a new chat, say so. 4. Finish with one line: INSTALLED, ALREADY INSTALLED, CLICKS NEEDED, or FAILED with the exact error. Then tell me to start a new chat and ask "Recommend a model and effort for this task. Cite the Revision." Rules: do not edit my instruction files or account settings, do not create scheduled tasks, do not install anything else, and if a command fails show the error and stop, except for the explicit sandbox permission recovery above. In that case request outside-sandbox approval or provide the manual commands, wait for completion, and verify before continuing.
Download the package (AI-Token-Saver-All zip).
OpenAI models only.
Install the AI Token Saver plugin (ChatGPT and Codex edition) for me. Source: https://github.com/robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver 1. Work out which app you are. Check whether it is already installed and say so instead of installing twice. 2. Show me the commands you will run, then run them: - Codex: `codex plugin marketplace add robbagley-afk/ai-token-saver` then `codex plugin add ai-token-saver@ai-token-saver` These commands write to ~/.codex. If the sandbox blocks them with “Operation not permitted”, request approval to run them outside the sandbox. If approval is unavailable, give me both commands to run in my own Terminal and wait until I say done before verification. After an attempted install, inspect the installed state before retrying to avoid duplicates. - ChatGPT chat (no shell): you cannot install it yourself. Give me these clicks: open https://chatgpt.com/plugins, choose Add custom MCP server, name it AI Token Saver, paste https://ai-token-saver.vercel.app/mcp, choose No authentication, and create the plugin. Tell me my workspace admin may need to allow it. - Any other app: stop and tell me to use the All Platforms edition instead. 3. Verify. List the installed plugins and confirm AI Token Saver is there. If the get_guidance tool is available in this chat, call it once with platform codex or chatgpt and show me the Revision. If it only loads in a new chat, say so. 4. Finish with one line: INSTALLED, ALREADY INSTALLED, CLICKS NEEDED, or FAILED with the exact error. Then tell me to start a new chat and ask "Recommend a model and effort for this task. Cite the Revision." Rules: do not edit my instruction files or account settings, do not create scheduled tasks, do not install anything else, and if a command fails show the error and stop, except for the explicit sandbox permission recovery above. In that case request outside-sandbox approval or provide the manual commands, wait for completion, and verify before continuing.
Step-by-step install page · Download the package (AI-Token-Saver zip).
Start a new chat and ask: Recommend a model and effort for this task. Cite the Revision.
A working install names a model, an effort and a Revision. If it answers without a Revision, the plugin did not load.
Server address for any app that can add an MCP server, no authentication:
https://ai-token-saver.vercel.app/mcp
Copy the prompt that matches your goal and paste it into one of those assistants. Each prompt carries the current guidance, so it works even when your network blocks GitHub. Text version for AI tools: guidance.md, guidance.json or guidance.html.
Copy this prompt into ChatGPT to create or update one weekly task. It checks for a new revision and tells you when your instructions need an update. If it cannot reach the guide, it reports that and leaves your instructions unchanged.
Independent scores from Artificial Analysis. Cost is dollars per Intelligence Index task. Blank means not published. The table follows the vendor filter above.