Model
The intelligence generating the output. GPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini.
Mission accepted
Your tailored loadout
Simulation deck
Watch a build run, hands off
One plain-English prompt, an agent doing the typing, and a live preview on a local server. It cycles website → game → app on loop. Nobody is touching the keyboard. This is a mock, but it is exactly what your screen looks like.
awaiting prompt…
System map
Know the stack in 60 seconds
The point is not to memorize the internet. It is to know which layer you are touching.
AI assistant
The product where you talk to a model. ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini.
IDE
A code editor with files and a terminal. Cursor, VS Code.
Builder
Creates and publishes from plain English. Lovable, Replit.
Agent
Plans, edits, tests and continues across multiple steps.
API
The metered pipe an app uses when it calls a model behind the scenes.
Decision room
Compare American AI
The model guide focuses on OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI and Google. Coding environments are labelled separately by origin.
PICK FOR ME
What matters most?
Choose a goal and budget. The strongest matches light up below.
GOAL
MONTHLY BUDGET
> TOP MATCHES
PRICE CHECK: A monthly assistant subscription does not include API credits. API pricing is metered separately by tokens.
CHOOSE THE PRICE TYPE
01 // US AI ASSISTANTS & MODELS
Which American AI should you use?
Focused on OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI and Google. Select PRODUCT or
CONSUMER PRICE to sort.
| Product / current model | Consumer price | Best for | Keep in mind | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPTGPT-5.6 |
Go $8 · Plus
$20 Pro $200 · Business |
Best all-round starting point: research, files, images, writing and Codex coding workflows. Free resets from Saint Tibo ↗ | Plus and Claude Pro are both $20 USD monthly. Go is cheaper, but it is a lighter plan without full GPT-5.6 Sol access. API billing is separate. | PRICING ↗ |
| ClaudeFABLE 5 / SONNET 5 |
Pro $20 · Max
from $100 Team $25/seat monthly |
Careful long-form writing, patient explanations and agentic coding with Claude Code. | Fable 5 is generally available but may require usage credits. Mythos 5 is limited to approved Project Glasswing customers. | MODEL DOCS ↗ |
| GrokGROK 4.5 |
SuperGrok
$30/mo Lite and Heavy tiers |
Live web/X context, fast-moving news, coding and strong multimodal creation. | Outstanding PR and distribution. Grok Build access and limits vary by plan. | PRICING ↗ |
| GeminiGEMINI 3.5 FLASH | AI Plus · AI Pro AI Ultra |
Google ecosystem work, large files/context and fast agentic workflows. | Paid-plan prices, limits and availability vary by country; Antigravity is the coding layer. | PRICING ↗ |
Consumer plans are not API credits. Converted amounts are
estimates based on the latest available reference rate; providers
set final regional prices and taxes.Prices shown in USD.
01B // API PRICING
What does model usage cost?
Select INPUT or OUTPUT to sort. Prices are provider list prices
before caching, batch discounts, long-context premiums or taxes.
| Model | Input | Output | Pricing notes | Documentation |
|---|
API prices are separate from assistant subscriptions. Verify the
linked documentation before production use.
02 // CODING ENVIRONMENTS
Where should the AI build?
| Tool / type | Starting price | Best for | Trade-off | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LovableVISUAL WEB BUILDER | Free start Paid credits |
Fast, polished websites and web-app prototypes without managing a local code editor. | Easiest visual route; credit use and complex backend work need watching. | PRICING ↗ |
| ReplitBUILDER + HOSTING |
Starter free Core $25/mo |
Generate, run, host and share an app from one browser workspace. | Core is $20 USD/mo when annual; agents, hosting and integrations draw from credits. | PRICING ↗ |
| CursorAI CODE EDITOR / IDE |
Hobby free Pro $20/mo |
Real codebases, multi-file changes, cloud agents and maximum project control. | Best once you are comfortable with files, terminals and Git. Model usage is metered against the plan allowance. | PRICING ↗ |
| Devin + WindsurfCLOUD AGENT + IDE |
Free · Pro $20 Max $200/mo |
Editor assistance plus autonomous cloud tasks and multi-model access. | Paid Devin allowances cover Devin sessions, Devin for Terminal and Windsurf IDE usage. | PRICING ↗ |
| Grok BuildTERMINAL CODING AGENT |
API
$1
input $2 output / 1M |
Professional repo work, plans, diffs, subagents, skills and local-first terminal workflows. | Grok Build 0.1 has a 256k context window. Consumer access and limits depend on the Grok plan. | DETAILS ↗ |
| AntigravityGOOGLE AGENT PLATFORM |
Included quotas vary by Google plan |
Prompt-to-production work tied to Gemini, AI Studio and Google's developer stack. | Antigravity includes IDE, CLI, SDK and agent-platform surfaces. Check its pricing page for current quotas. | PRICING ↗ |
IDE = the workbench. Model = the brain. Builder = the faster, more
guided route to a published app.
GRAPH VIEW
API PRICE // OUTPUT
US model output cost
Provider list price per million output tokens. Lower is cheaper; actual task cost also depends on total token use.
USD · output / 1M tokensSOURCES ↗
Subscriptions are separate. Provider discounts, caching and long-context rules can change effective cost.
CODING // SWE-BENCH PRO
Generally available models
One coding benchmark under the harness and settings reported in OpenAI's GPT-5.6 comparison. Higher is better; limited-access Mythos 5 is intentionally excluded.
Resolve rate · %METHODOLOGY ↗
Different effort settings, agents and harnesses can materially change scores. Grok 4.5 reports 64.7% separately on SWE-Bench Pro.
PRIMARY DOCUMENTATION:OPENAI GPT-5.6OPENAI APICLAUDE MODELSCLAUDE APIXAI MODELSGROK BUILDGEMINI MODELSGEMINI APIONYX CODING BENCHMARKSONYX LLM LEADERBOARDCURSOR DOCSREPLIT DOCSLOVABLE DOCSDEVIN DOCSFX RATE SOURCE
HOW WE COMPARE MODELS
No single benchmark tells you which model will feel best. Scores shown here come from provider-published material and are kept in their stated harness and effort settings. Onyx is linked as an independent secondary comparison; official provider documentation remains the source of truth for model availability and pricing.
- Subscription and API prices are never combined.
- Performance charts identify the benchmark and source.
- Personal rankings are labelled as opinion.
- Prices and launches were last checked 22 July 2026.
- Currency is detected once by country and can always be changed manually.
WHAT CHANGED THIS WEEK
Added budget filters, side-by-side model comparison and
mobile cards.
Grok 4.5 launched and became the default in Grok
Build.
Grok Build's agent harness became open source.
GPT-5.6 launched across ChatGPT, Codex and API.
#1 // DEFAULT
ChatGPT
My best overall pick: broad, approachable and the easiest single place to start.
#2 // SPECIALIST
Claude
Excellent for careful writing and code, but second overall for me.
#3 // LIVE CONTEXT
Grok
Strong for fast-moving information, X context and xAI's growing coding stack.
> hype radarChatGPT and Grok have the strongest PR
and marketing gravity. That does not automatically make them the
best for every job, but it does explain why beginners hear those
names first.
ChatGPT
AIBest general starting point for questions, files, research and ideas.
PLUS $20/MOAPI SEPARATE
FREEGO $8PLUS $20PRO $200BUSINESSENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Broadest all-round experience and the biggest mindshare. Business and Enterprise are team plans; API billing is separate. Find Out More ↗
Claude
AIStrong for patient explanations, writing and agentic coding.
PRO $20/MOCODE INCLUDED
FREEPRO $20MAXTEAMENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Claude Code is included in paid plans and shares the same usage pool. Max and Team tiers are for heavier use. Find Out More ↗
Grok
AIReal-time X-native AI with huge public hype and loud model launches.
FREE TIERSUPERGROK
FREESUPERGROK LITESUPERGROKHEAVYBUSINESSENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Very strong PR and social distribution through X. xAI lists plans separately from some X Premium access paths, so verify the exact subscription before buying. Find Out More ↗
Gemini
AIUseful for Google-based work and very large context inputs.
PRO $19.99/MO1M CONTEXT
FREEAI PLUSAI PROAI ULTRAAPI
WHY / WATCH OUT
Gemini Pro highlights a one million token context window; app limits and AI credits vary by plan and region. Find Out More ↗
Lovable
BUILDERFastest visual route from description to a polished web app.
5 FREE/DAYPRO $25/MO
FREEPRO $25BUSINESSENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Free workspaces receive five daily build credits, capped at thirty per month. Paid tiers add more credits and team features. Find Out More ↗
Replit
BUILDERAgent, code, hosting and app infrastructure in one workspace.
FREE STARTERCORE $25/MO
STARTERCOREPROENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Core is listed at $25 monthly, or lower when billed annually. Pro is for heavier collaboration; Agent and hosting work use credits. Find Out More ↗
Cursor
IDEA real code editor with AI working beside your project files.
FREE HOBBYPRO $20/MO
HOBBYPROPRO+ULTRATEAMSENTERPRISE
WHY / WATCH OUT
Best when you want a real codebase. Pro extends agent/model access; Pro+ and Ultra increase usage headroom. Find Out More ↗
Prompt arsenal
Don't start from a blank box
The fastest route to good output is a prompt that already works. Raid these libraries, swap in your details, fire.
MotionSites
PROMPTSPremium hero-section and landing-page prompts tuned for React, Tailwind and Framer Motion.
COPY-PASTELOVABLE / CURSOR / V0
HOW TO USE
Pick a template (SaaS, agency, portfolio…), copy its prompt, paste it into your builder. Out comes an animated page. Open MotionSites ↗
Cursor Directory
RULESCommunity rule files intended to give coding agents stack-specific guidance.
PER-FRAMEWORKCOMMUNITY
HOW TO USE
Find your framework, review the rule file, then adapt it to your project. Community rules can help, but they are not official Cursor guidance and may become outdated. Open Directory ↗
Zeus: Higgsfield Website Creation
ADVANCEDA Claude Code and Higgsfield MCP workflow for generating motion assets, assembling scroll effects and turning the result into a client-ready website.
MOTION ASSETSAGENTIC WORKFLOWCLIENT SITES
PLAYBOOK + STARTER PROMPT
The useful idea is the production sequence: start with a brand kit, generate purposeful motion, build the page around it, then test pacing, performance and mobile behavior. The revenue and agency-price figures in the post are the creator's estimates, not guaranteed outcomes. Read Zeus's original playbook on X ↗
> advanced example: motion website brief
Build a cinematic, scroll-driven one-page website for
[BUSINESS]. First define the audience, offer and conversion
goal. Use [BRAND COLORS], [TYPE STYLE] and the supplied brand
assets. Create only motion that supports the story: an opening
hero sequence, two scroll-triggered transitions and one
product or service reveal. Keep text readable when motion is
paused. Respect prefers-reduced-motion, compress every asset,
lazy-load noncritical media and provide static fallbacks.
Sections: navigation, hero, proof, offer, process, testimonial
and final call to action. Test keyboard access, mobile layout,
loading performance and reduced-motion mode. Run it locally,
show me the result, then list what you tested and any
remaining risks.
Vybe Templates
PROMPTSA collection of full-app prompt examples organized around common product types.
EXAMPLESPATTERNS INCLUDED
HOW TO USE
Grab the closest example, review it, then swap in your own requirements. Treat community prompts as starting points rather than guaranteed recipes. Open Templates ↗
GIVE CONTEXTname the business, colors, sections
SMALL STEPSone feature per prompt
SAY WHYstate the goal, not just the task
> example: steal this one
Build me a one-page site for my dog-walking business called Happy
Paws. Style: dark background, one lime accent, bold headline.
Sections: hero, 3 pricing cards ($15 / $25 / $40 per walk), a photo
grid placeholder, and a contact form. Make it mobile-friendly. When
you're done, run it locally so I can see it.
Shield protocol
Don't get hacked
AI-generated code still needs ordinary security review. Check secrets, database policies, authentication and server-side validation before anything real touches the internet. Progress saves in your browser.
PUBLICFrontend JavaScript and browser network requests can be
inspected by visitors
SERVERAuthorization and input validation must also run on trusted
server-side code
RLSSupabase recommends enabling Row Level Security on exposed
tables and writing policies
✓
No API keys in frontend code
Anything in the page's JavaScript is public. Anyone can open dev tools and read it. Keys live on the server or in your builder's secrets panel, never in the page.
✓
.env is in .gitignore
Pushing secrets to GitHub, even a private repo, is the #1 way
keys leak. Ask your AI:
is my .env ignored by git?
✓
Row Level Security ON for every table
Without RLS, anyone with your public URL can read every row of every table. Supabase shows a red warning per table. Clear every single one.
✓
Every private page & API route checks login
Hiding a button isn't security. The server must reject signed-out requests on every route, not just the obvious ones.
✓
Users can't see each other's data by changing an ID
If /orders/123 is yours, try /orders/124 as someone else. If it loads, that's the exact bug that has leaked millions of records.
✓
Input validated on the server, not just the browser
Browser-side checks are suggestions; attackers skip your form entirely. The server re-checks everything it's sent.
✓
Rate limiting on anything expensive or sensitive
Login attempts, AI-calling endpoints, email senders. One person in a loop can drain your API budget overnight.
✓
No passwords or personal data in logs
Logging the whole request object feels harmless until your logging service holds everyone's passwords in plain text.
✓
Committed to git before every big change
Your undo button for when the AI confidently deletes something important. Commit early, commit often.
✓
Run a security review before launch
Start with:
Review my app for exposed secrets, missing auth checks, and
missing RLS policies. List concrete fixes, worst
first.
Treat the AI review as a first pass, not a substitute for
testing or expert review.
Optional docs
Open only what you need
WHAT IS A TOKEN?
A small chunk of text. Models count tokens to measure context and API use.
WHAT IS CONTEXT?
The model's working desk: everything it can consider during one request.
SUBSCRIPTION VS API?
A subscription pays for an app. An API is usually separate, metered usage.
WHEN SHOULD I PAY?
Only when a free limit blocks a real project you already want to continue.
HOW DO I CHECK OUTPUT?
Ask for sources, test code, review actions and never paste secrets casually.
BEST FIRST PROMPT?
“Make the smallest working version first. Explain the plan and show me how to test it.”
OPENAIANTHROPICGROKGOOGLE GEMINIGEMINI CONTEXTLOVABLELOVABLE CREDITSREPLITCURSORPrices and limits change. Verify before buying.
Guide operations
Trust, updates and corrections
A compact record of how this guide stays useful without pretending fast-moving product information is permanent.
QUICK CONCLUSIONS
What should I buy?
- Beginner: ChatGPT Plus or Go
- Careful writing: Claude Pro
- Visual website: Lovable
- All-in-one build: Replit
- Real codebase: Cursor
UPDATE POLICY
Freshness and privacy
Verified labels record the last manual check. Announced items are not treated as generally available. Link checks run automatically, while price and model changes still require human review.
Currency detection contacts an IP-region service and the Frankfurter exchange-rate service. No account, name or precise location is requested or stored by this page.
CORRECTIONS