Claude Code vs Antigravity CLI vs Codex CLI: Real Cost After 30 Days
How Much Do AI Coding CLIs Actually Cost?
The short answer: $0 (Antigravity free) to $200/month (Claude Max). Most developers land in the $20-80/month range.
| Tool | Light (30 min/day) | Medium (2 hr/day) | Heavy (4+ hr/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antigravity CLI (Free) | $0 | $0 | $0-20 (may hit limits) |
| Codex CLI (Plus) | $20/mo | $20/mo | $20/mo (throttled) |
| Claude Code (Pro) | $20/mo | $20/mo (limited) | Hits cap mid-month |
| Claude Code (Max) | $100-200/mo | $100-200/mo | $100-200/mo |
| Claude Code (API) | $5-15/mo | $40-90/mo | $150-400/mo |
| OpenCode + BYOK | $3-10/mo | $30-70/mo | $100-300/mo |
What Does âUnlimitedâ Actually Mean?
Nothing is truly unlimited:
- Claude Pro ($20/mo): Usage allowance resets every few hours. Heavy sessions burn through it in 60-90 minutes.
- Claude Max ($100/mo): 5Ă Pro allowance. Enough for most full-time developers.
- Antigravity Free: Generous for casual use. Rate limits kick in after sustained multi-hour sessions.
- Codex CLI (Plus): Shares quota with ChatGPT usage.
How Much Does API Pay-Per-Token Cost?
Token costs depend on context window usage. Coding CLIs eat context fast â file reads, errors, and iterative debugging stack up.
| Session type | Duration | Claude API cost | OpenAI API cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick fix | 5 min | $0.08-0.15 | $0.05-0.10 |
| Feature build | 30 min | $0.75-1.50 | $0.50-1.00 |
| Deep refactor | 2 hr | $3.00-5.50 | $2.00-4.00 |
| Debug marathon | 4 hr | $7.50-12.00 | $5.00-8.00 |
Monthly projections (medium usage, 2-3 feature builds/day):
- Claude Opus 4.7: $45-90/mo
- Claude Sonnet 4: $15-35/mo
- GPT-4o: $30-60/mo
Which Pricing Model Should I Choose?
$20 subscription if: You code with AI 30-60 min/day and want predictable billing.
Claude Max ($100-200) if: AI coding is your primary workflow (4+ hours daily) and you canât tolerate rate limit interruptions.
API pay-per-token if: Your usage is spiky â heavy some days, nothing on others.
Antigravity free if: Youâre exploring AI coding or your usage is genuinely light.
What Did 30 Days Actually Cost Me?
Testing all approaches with medium usage (~2 hours AI coding/day):
| Approach | 30-day cost | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Antigravity CLI (Free) | $0 | Rate-limited on 4 days |
| Codex CLI (Plus) | $20 | Throttled less than Claude Pro |
| Claude Code (Pro) | $20 | Hit limits ~3 times/week |
| Claude Code (API, Sonnet) | $52 | No interruptions |
| OpenCode + Claude API | $61 | Slightly higher token usage |
The sweet spot: Start with a $20 subscription. Track when you hit limits. If itâs more than twice a week, upgrade â youâre losing more in productivity than the cost difference.
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