How can a small dev team cut its AI tool costs?

A direct answer from the ToolTier rankings updated October 15, 2026.

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Last updated: · Methodology

Short answer
Look for overlap first. Several tools on our board come bundled with a plan you may already pay for. For example, GitHub Copilot code review is included in Pro $10/mo and up (AI Credits), and Cursor Bugbot is included in Premium $30/mo and up. If a bundled tool covers the job, you may not need a separate subscription for it.

Comparison

Pricing pageTools on our board that share it
cursor.com/pricingCursor (AI coding editors/IDEs): Plus $8/mo; Premium $30/mo; Super $100/mo; Ultra $200/mo (3rd-party models billed at API price)
Cursor Bugbot (Code review & testing): Included in Premium $30/mo and up
github.com/features/copilot/plansGitHub Copilot (AI coding editors/IDEs): Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Max $100/mo
GitHub Copilot code review (Code review & testing): Included in Pro $10/mo and up (AI Credits)
gemini.google/subscriptionsGoogle Antigravity (AI coding editors/IDEs): Included in Google AI Pro (entry limits) and Ultra ($99.99/mo, higher limits)
Google Jules (Coding agents (CLI/cloud)): Higher limits in Google AI Pro; highest in Ultra ($99.99/mo)
Gemini Deep Research + Notebook (Docs & research for devs): Google AI Plus/Pro/Ultra ($99.99+) for more
claude.com/pricingClaude Code (Coding agents (CLI/cloud)): Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually); Max from $100/mo
Claude Design (Design-to-code / UI generation): More usage on Pro $20/mo
Claude Research (Docs & research for devs): Research on Pro $20/mo
openai.com/chatgpt/pricingOpenAI Codex (Coding agents (CLI/cloud)): Expanded in Plus; Pro has longer sessions (dollar prices unverified)
ChatGPT deep research (Docs & research for devs): Expanded in Plus, maximum in Pro (prices unverified)
ChatGPT (Dev productivity): Go, Plus, Pro (prices unverified)

⚠ marks a price or plan detail we couldn't fully confirm on the official page. Scores: 0.4×Quality + 0.2×Ease + 0.2×Value + 0.2×Momentum, editorial judgments, not lab tests.

Who should pick which

FAQ

Is code review included in GitHub Copilot?

Included in Pro $10/mo and up (AI Credits). Free tier: Limited in Free.

What's included with a Claude plan?

Tools on our board priced on Claude's pricing page (excluding the API): Claude Code: free "None (not in Claude Free)", paid "Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually); Max from $100/mo"; Claude Design: free "Included in Claude Free", paid "More usage on Pro $20/mo"; Claude Research: free "Web search in Free", paid "Research on Pro $20/mo".

What does the AI Stack Audit cost and what do I get?

Solo is $99 and Team is $299, one-time. You get a written report in 3 business days on what to keep, cut, switch, or add. We don't need access to your code or accounts. See the AI Stack Audit.

How does ToolTier rank these tools?

Each tool is scored 1–10 on quality (40%), ease (20%), price/value (20%), and momentum (20%). Scores are editorial judgments built from public benchmarks, published reviews, and official pricing pages, not hands-on lab tests yet. We re-check the rankings every Monday and log every change. How we rank.

Does ToolTier get paid by these tools?

Of the tools on this page: we found no affiliate program for Cursor, Cursor Bugbot, GitHub Copilot, GitHub Copilot code review, Google Antigravity, Google Jules, Gemini Deep Research + Notebook, Claude Code, Claude Design, Claude Research, OpenAI Codex, ChatGPT deep research, ChatGPT. Some links on ToolTier are or may become affiliate links, which can pay us if you buy. Rankings are never for sale, and payment never changes a ranking. How we make money.

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