Local LLM with Cline = $0. GitHub Copilot Pro = $10. Cursor = $20. Cline + Claude API = $50-$120. Ranked by real TCO.
The 6 cheapest coding agents ranked by real cost
| # | Agent | Subscription | Token/inference cost | Total monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cline + local LLM | $0 | $0 (existing GPU) | $0 |
| 2 | Aider + local LLM | $0 | $0 (existing GPU) | $0 |
| 3 | GitHub Copilot Pro | $10 | Included | $10 |
| 4 | Tabnine Dev | $9 | Included | $9 |
| 5 | Continue.dev + Free API tier | $0 | $0-$20 | $0-$20 |
| 6 | Cursor Pro | $20 | Included | $20 |
What "real cost" actually includes
Subscription is the obvious part. The hidden costs:
Token spend for BYO-key agents (Cline, Aider, Continue). Typical daily use: $40-$120/mo on frontier models.
Hardware for local LLMs. Requires 24GB+ VRAM (Apple M3 Max, RTX 4090). One-time ~$2K-$5K cost amortized over hardware lifetime.
Time cost of slower workflows. Cheaper agents sometimes have slower tab completion or weaker autonomy. Engineer time has a real value.
The truly $0 options
If you already have GPU hardware, Cline + local Llama 3.3 70B is truly $0 for coding. Works for:
- Routine refactors
- Test writing
- Documentation generation
- Bug fixes in well-known patterns
Won't match frontier model quality on:
- Complex multi-system debugging
- Architectural decisions
- Edge cases requiring deep reasoning
The $10/mo option
GitHub Copilot Pro at $10/mo:
- Tab completion across all major IDEs
- Agent mode (multi-file edits)
- Frontier model access (GPT-5, Claude, Gemini)
- Bundled with GitHub workflows
For solo engineers wanting cloud-based AI coding at the lowest price, this is the right pick.
The $20/mo "best balance"
Cursor Pro at $20/mo:
- Best tab completion in any IDE (Cursor Tab)
- Composer for multi-file edits
- Agent mode
- All frontier models
For daily-driver IC engineers, the productivity gain over $10 Copilot usually justifies $10 extra.
What about Claude Code at $20?
Claude Code bundled with Claude Pro ($20/mo) is comparable. Terminal-native vs Cursor's editor. Pick by workflow preference.
When the "cheap" path costs more
For daily-driver engineers, $50-$120/mo on Cline + Claude API can exceed $20 Cursor — because frontier model tokens at high volume add up.
Math:
- Cursor Pro: $20/mo flat
- Cline + Claude Sonnet at 200 PRs/mo: ~$120/mo
Cursor wins on cost despite higher subscription. The "BYO key" savings only materialize at low usage or with local LLMs.
The verdict
- Truly $0 (existing GPU) → Cline + Llama 3.3 70B
- Cheapest cloud-based → GitHub Copilot Pro ($10/mo)
- Best $20 value → Cursor or Claude Code
- Compliance-sensitive cheap → Tabnine ($9-$39)
- Heavy use cost-optimization → Cursor (flat-rate beats BYO at scale)
For broader cost analysis see Cheapest AI agents with coupon codes, Best free AI agents, and TCO calculator.