Cheap Agent (cheap-ag)

Cheap Agent (cheap-ag) is a free, open-source add-on for Claude Code that lets Opus plan the work while a low-cost model such as DeepSeek writes the code in a separate copy of your project, and only changes that pass their tests come back to you, uncommitted.

Why it matters

For developers on a $20 or $100 Claude plan who keep hitting usage limits, it hands the typing to a model that costs fractions of a cent per task, so Opus usage goes to planning and decisions instead of boilerplate.

Highlights

• Opus writes a short task; the cheap model works in its own git worktree, writes a failing test, fixes the code and makes the test pass.
• Cheap Agent runs the tests itself and only passing work lands in your project, uncommitted, for you to review.
• If the cheap model gets stuck, a Sonnet helper finishes the step instead of Opus (configurable with the takeover setting).
• Works with OpenRouter, DeepSeek, OpenCode Go or Command Code keys; v1.2.6 added Command Code and v1.2.7 added new-version notices.
• The maker reports 55-63% fewer Opus tokens on SWE-bench Verified tasks, while solving 6 of 9 of the hardest bugs versus 7 of 9 for plain Opus.unverified

Taken from the project's own README, docs or launch page. Claims about speed or accuracy are the maker's unless stated otherwise.

Worth knowing: Your project's code is sent to the third-party model provider you pick, after you approve it per project with /cheapag:allow. The repo's tagline promises '50x your Claude usage', but the README's own benchmarks show roughly 2-2.7x, and the maker notes no savings on tiny jobs.

Quick facts

Links

• Official site: https://cheapag.com/
• Repository: https://github.com/muaaz9329/cheap-ag
• Release notes: https://github.com/muaaz9329/cheap-ag/releases
• Docs: https://muaazkhan.me/blog/cheap-agent

Related ranking

See how established tools compare in Best AI Coding Tools for Developers. New releases aren't scored until we review them against the rubric.

What we couldn't verify

• highlights[4] (benchmark figures are the maker's own)

Checked 2026-11-01 from the tool's own pages. Prices and star counts change, so confirm on the official site. Listing here is not a ranking or an endorsement.