ModelSpec is an analysis of alternatives for AI models: it decides which models fit a job from your requirements, sourced benchmarks and real cost, and shows its work.

Coding agent on a budget

Find an active coding model with enough context while keeping one task at or under $0.05.

Worked example as of 2026-09-23, from the public data image.

At most $0.05 a task; coding still ranked.

Requirements

• model.class = text-generator: Coding work needs a model that generates text and code.
• model.lifecycle = active: An active model is still supported by its lab or provider.
• model.context_window >= 200000: A large repository needs room for code, tests, and instructions.
• offering.cost_per_task <= 0.05: The offering must stay within the per-task budget.

Preferences

• software_engineering: Prefer stronger evidence on real software-engineering tasks.
• -offering.cost_per_task: Among qualifying offerings, prefer the cheaper task.

Worked answer

Decision status: partial.

Tied on the evidence

• google/gemini-3-7-flash
• google/gemini-3-8-flash

probability bands: a model joins the leader when P(its score >= the leader's) >= 0.25 under the score posteriors; a weighted capability with an 80% interval wider than 2.8 is not enough evidence

Tie-breakers describe members of the tie. They do not establish a winner.

• Most independently measured tie-breaker: google/gemini-3-8-flash

This is a partial answer. Unknown facts or missing objective evidence can leave eligible candidates unranked.

probability bands: a model joins the leader when P(its score >= the leader's) >= 0.25 under the score posteriors; a weighted capability with an 80% interval wider than 2.8 is not enough evidence

Score and score interval use the objective's dimensionless normalised units. Cost per task is for the engine-selected offering and the applied spec's task size. When task size is omitted, the engine uses its documented default. P(best) is the engine probability. Unavailable means the engine did not return a value. Thin evidence is undetermined and is not a recommendation.

Best band

Screened-out candidates

Each row gives a failed condition and its observed value. A model can appear under multiple conditions or offerings. One offering can fail while another offering of the same model qualifies.