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#Introduction
Vibe Coding is fun…
Vibe Coding is powerful…
Vibe Coding is NOT cheap.
Claude Code Max Plan? $100/month.
Cursor? $20/month + API usage.
ChatGPT? $20/month.
MCP tools? Many start at $20–$30/month.
And if you are building full workflows, you often need more than one of these.
But what if I told you that you can vibe code, build agents, ship full-stack apps, run MCP servers, use coding CLIs and integrate powerful AI models, for less than $10/month, including coding plans + API usage + MCP servers?
Yep.
I have been doing exactly that.
In this article, I will share my full workflow, how I save hundreds of dollars every month, and the exact stack I use to vibe-code smarter, not pricier.
You will discover:
- Cheap coding plans as good as Sonnet 4.5
- Free coding CLIs & MCP integrations
- Open-source coding models you can run locally
- Free API providers for dev work
Let’s get into it.
#Cheap But Powerful Coding Plans
Image from GLM Coding Plan powered by GLM-4.6
I am currently subscribed to the MiniMax Coding Plan and GLM-4.6 Coding Plan, which give me access to top open-source models at a fraction of the cost, plus the freedom to build my entire project in one go.
- MiniMax: Thanks to their Black Friday offer, it’s just $2/month
- GLM Coding Plan: Normally $3/month, super cheap
You might think their service is subpar or the models can’t compete with Anthropic’s. You would be so wrong. I have used them for 2 months to build multiple web and machine learning projects. They are fast, accurate, and truly understand codebases. I love them.
I am even planning a yearly subscription for even bigger discounts (especially with GLM’s Black Friday deals). I highly recommend it.
#Free Coding Tools
Image from Google Antigravity Pricing
Here are some completely free (or freemium) coding tools that pack a punch,no subscriptions required.
- Kilo Code (Best Agentic VS Code Extension): Sign up for free credits right away, and add your credit card for even more free credits. Use them on any open-source or proprietary model. Perfect for resolving issues in your codebase.
- Google Antigravity: Currently free with usage limits. It’s like Cursor’s paid plan but stands out with built-in browser features and more.
- Gemini-CLI: Completely free coding CLI tool. Hit the free tier limits? Just wait a day, limits renew automatically.
- OpenCode: The most powerful open-source coding CLI tool. Best part: Free access to top models from leading companies (they offer it to gather feedback for improvements).
- Droid by Factory: Excellent coding CLI app for invoking terminal tools and understanding your codebase. Comes with 1 month of free Pro plan, build and deploy without hitting limits.
These tools have saved me tons of time and money. Give them a try.
#Free MCP Servers
Image from brightdata/brightdata-mcp
MCP servers are essential for fetching the latest documentation, searching new tools, resolving issues, adding memory layers, accessing open-source tools/projects (via GitHub & Hugging Face), and enabling sequential thinking. The best part? All of them are free.
Here is a curated list of top free MCP servers to integrate into your workflow:
I have integrated these into Claude Code, OpenCode, Droid, Kilo Code, and even VS Code, game-changer for productivity.
#OpenSource Models
Image from gpt-oss
If you are privacy-conscious and want to limit spending, try these open-source coding models, run them locally with Ollama or LM Studio. They are on par with proprietary models, but require high RAM or a GPU with ample VRAM.
Here is my top list for coding, terminal, and agentic workflows:
- GPT-OSS: Versatile powerhouse for code generation and debugging.
- Minimax-M2: Lightning-fast for complex tasks and terminal ops.
- Qwen3-Coder: Excels in agentic flows and multi-step reasoning.
Download from Hugging Face, fire up locally, and code without limits.
#Free API Providers
Image from Models | OpenRouter
Going cheap? Why not free? These providers give you fast inference on top models with generous free tiers, no breaking the bank!
- OpenRouter: Free access to models all year. Grab your API key and integrate with Kilo Code, OpenCode, or any tool.
- Groq Cloud: Forever free tier with blazing speed.
- Baseten: Free credits for production-ready deployments, faster than standard providers.
Pro Tip: Participate in competitions (especially Hugging Face) and get free credits from different AI models. I have scored $300+ boosts this way. Stack them up and code for free
#Final Thought
Getting the most out of an AI model should never come down to price alone. Some providers like Anthropic make experimentation painfully expensive. I once burned $40 on just three prompts in one hour, and that’s when I knew I needed better options.
So I started exploring alternatives that are balanced. Tools that are reasonably priced while still giving you solid performance and real value.
In this article, I have shared my go-to shortcuts and secret tools for vibe-coding without breaking the bank, including cheap and completely free setups you can start using today.
Abid Ali Awan (@1abidaliawan) is a certified data scientist professional who loves building machine learning models. Currently, he is focusing on content creation and writing technical blogs on machine learning and data science technologies. Abid holds a Master’s degree in technology management and a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication engineering. His vision is to build an AI product using a graph neural network for students struggling with mental illness.
