GPT-6 Astra
$10 input / $50 output per M tokens, 10 credits per 1K output, 31.25 tokens/s
AI for Developers
The best AI for developers in 2026: coding models ranked by measured speed and cost, the tools they plug into, and one OpenAI-compatible API for 500+ models.
Best AI models for coding, measured
The best AI for developers in 2026 is a stack, not one product: an editor assistant such as Cursor, Copilot or Cline, a terminal agent such as Codex, and the model underneath. Krater is the model layer: 500+ models behind one OpenAI-compatible API at api.krater.ai, billed in credits, included in the Ultra plan at $49 a month.
Prices and speeds are 7-day medians from our daily same-prompt run; the five newest models were first measured today in a single run, 29 Sep 2026. Live values on the
GPT-6 Sol
$2 input / $10 output per M tokens, 2 credits per 1K output, 37.39 tokens/s
GPT-5.3 Codex
$1.75 input / $14 output per M tokens, 2.8 credits per 1K output, 55.04 tokens/s
Claude Opus 5.5
$4 input / $20 output per M tokens, 4 credits per 1K output, 35.75 tokens/s
Claude Sonnet 5.5
$2 input / $10 output per M tokens, 2 credits per 1K output, 39.48 tokens/s
Gemini 3.1 Pro
$2 input / $12 output per M tokens, 2.4 credits per 1K output, 68 tokens/s median
Grok 4.7
$2 input / $6 output per M tokens, 1.2 credits per 1K output, 84.59 tokens/s
DeepSeek V3.2
$0.28 input / $0.42 output per M tokens, 0.08 credits per 1K output, 7.96 tokens/s
Qwen 3.6 Max
$1.03 input / $6.16 output per M tokens, 1.23 credits per 1K output, 88 tokens/s median
Kimi K3
$3 input / $15 output per M tokens, 3 credits per 1K output, 45 tokens/s median
What the one blind coding round said
In our blind test, four models wrote a slugify function with unit tests, ranked without names by Vitus Pruser: GPT-6 Astra first at 7.03 credits, GPT-6 Sol second at 2.44, Claude Fable 5.1 third at 19.97, Claude Sonnet 5 fourth at 9.11. One task is not a benchmark, but the cost spread is real. Full write-up:
Best AI coding tools in 2026 and what they cost
Prices checked on each vendor's official page, 29 Sep 2026.
Cursor
AI-native code editor, Pro $20/mo, custom endpoint supported with caveats
GitHub Copilot
Pro $10, Pro+ $39, Business $19/seat, custom endpoint via BYOK in VS Code
Claude Code
Included in Claude Pro $20 and Max; Anthropic protocol, no OpenAI-compatible endpoint
OpenAI Codex
Included in every ChatGPT plan; custom endpoint via config.toml
Cline
Free VS Code agent extension, bring your own key, OpenAI Compatible provider
Continue
Free open-source editor assistant, bring your own key via apiBase
Devin Desktop
Agent IDE formerly Windsurf, Pro $20/mo, no OpenAI-compatible endpoint published
Plug Krater into the tools you already use
The Krater API speaks the OpenAI format, so any tool that lets you set a custom base URL and key can run on your credits. Use model ids from the /v1/models list, for example anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5.
Cursor can send Responses-shaped requests that a chat completions endpoint rejects; Cline, Continue and Codex are the safe path.
Every call is metered from your credits; the minimum charge per chat call is 0.2 credits.
Up and running in 3 steps
Subscribe to an Ultra or Max plan, then create an API key in Settings → API.
Get your API key
Subscribe to an Ultra or Max plan, then create an API key in Settings → API.
Install the OpenAI SDK (optional)
Keys start with kr_live_ followed by 40 hex characters. Store securely; keys are hashed and can't be retrieved.
Make your first request
All requests require an API key passed in the
API Key Authentication
Keys start with kr_live_ followed by 40 hex characters. Store securely; keys are hashed and can't be retrieved.
All requests require an API key passed in the
header:
Frequently asked questions
Which AI is best for developers?
A stack, not a single product: an editor assistant such as Cursor, Copilot or Cline, a terminal agent such as Codex, and a strong model underneath. The measured table above shows which models are fast and cheap right now.
What are the top 5 AI tools for coding?
Cursor for AI-native editing, GitHub Copilot for in-editor autocomplete, Claude Code as a terminal agent, OpenAI Codex for ChatGPT users, and Cline as a free bring-your-own-key agent.
Which AI model is best for coding?
By measured speed and price, the table above is the honest answer today. In our one blind coding round, GPT-6 Astra produced the best-rated output, but a single task is not a benchmark; check the tracker for live medians.
Is there a free AI for developers?
Copilot Free, Codex on ChatGPT Free (limited), and the free Cline and Continue extensions with your own API key. Krater has no free API tier; API access starts on the Ultra plan at $49 a month.
Can I use the Krater API in Cursor or Cline?
Yes for Cline, Continue, Codex CLI and Copilot BYOK in VS Code: set the base URL to https://api.krater.ai/v1. Cursor works with caveats. Claude Code does not, because it speaks the Anthropic protocol.
How is the Krater API billed?
In credits from your plan's shared pool, priced per token by model. The minimum charge per chat call is 0.2 credits, and each key can spend up to 5,000 credits per day.
Is the Krater API OpenAI compatible?
Yes. Change base_url to https://api.krater.ai/v1 and keep your existing OpenAI SDK code, models and message format.
Krater API documentation · Krater API access · AI model directory