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Which model should I use?

Four questions, one answer. The picker scores every frontier model against your workload shape, cache profile, cost stance, and any special needs, and shows you why the winner won. Then run the cost on it.

This is a starting point, not a decree. The recommendation reflects the trade-offs The Counter Brief already published in prose; your specific workload may have a wrinkle the picker doesn't capture. Disagree freely.

01 What does the workload mostly look like?

Pick the one that fits the dominant use, outliers are fine, we optimize for the common case.

02 What's your cache hit rate?

Stable system prompt + repeated calls = high hit rate. One-shot batches = none. If unsure: most production workloads run 60-90%.

03 What matters more, quality or cost?

Honest answer: every model on the chart works for most workloads. Cost matters when the answer is multiplied across thousands of calls per day.

04 Any special needs?

Most use cases are text-only, pick "none" unless one of the others is genuinely required.

Related reading

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When a new model release shifts the rankings, we update the scoring rules and email the diff. No other email.

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