AI coding tools charge for models in different ways, and the difference changes both your bill and your control. On 18 October 2026, three published examples show the pattern.
Three pricing models
| Model | Example, as published | What you get | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bundled pool | Cursor lists plans from $8 to $200 a month, with "a pool of AI usage" per tier that "refreshes weekly" | Predictable monthly price | The pool is not stated in tokens, and "3rd party models are available in Cursor, billed separately by usage" |
| Metered credits | GitHub Copilot Pro is $10 a month with $10 base credits plus a $5 flex allotment, and "1 AI credit = $0.01 USD" | A fixed allowance, then a dollar budget you set | Credit use per task depends on the model |
| Bring your own key | Cline lists "Bring Your Own Key: use your own provider credentials for cloud providers or local runtimes", beside a usage billed path and a $9.99 monthly ClinePass | You pick the provider and pay it directly | You manage keys, limits and data terms yourself |
Cursor's page did not say whether you can bring your own API key, and GitHub's page I read did not mention it, so this table makes no claim on either.
How to compare them
Convert each to a monthly cost for your usage. For bundled plans, find out what happens when the pool runs out. For credit plans, find the credit price of the model you use most. For your own key, take the provider's token prices and multiply by your measured usage, as in the other posts in this series.
What to ask
- Can I choose the model per task, and is the model price passed through at list price?
- Where does my code go, and under whose data terms: the tool vendor's, the model vendor's, or both?
- Can I switch providers, or run a local model, without changing tools?
Safeguard lets you bring your own model, including Claude, GPT, Mistral and Cohere models, and on premises or local ones. Its MCP tool calls are unlimited, so tool use is not metered separately.
Quick check
What is one risk of bring your own key?
You become responsible for key storage, spend limits and the provider's data terms, because no tool vendor sits between you and the meter.
