Which AI subscription to buy: testing against three of your own tasks

Start with a task you repeat

A paid subscription makes sense when it helps perform your specific work. For one person, it's finding a bug in code; for another, it's a draft email or composition options. One flashy social media example doesn't show how a service will work daily with your files.

Choose two tools and test them on the same material. Start with the available free mode. If a required feature is only in the paid version, check its description and terms before paying. The lack of a trial is no reason to buy an annual plan immediately.

Three tasks for an honest comparison

For each task, write down a criterion first. If the answer just "looks reasonable," it is hard to compare. Anthropic's documentation also recommends defining specific measurable criteria before evaluating. The test proposed here is our compact scenario, not an official model benchmark.

Track time after the response

Record the time spent on task setting, checking, and fixing. A 20-second response that requires 15 minutes of reworking might be less useful than a slower, correct one. Note critical errors separately: secret leaks, hallucinated sources, broken calculations. These should not be hidden behind an average score.

Repeat the tasks in a new chat. A small sample doesn't prove one service is always better; it helps make a limited personal decision. Record the model, mode, and date — results may change after an update.

When a subscription pays off for you

Learning example: a subscription costs 900 UAH per month, and an hour of your working time is valued at 300 UAH. The threshold is three saved hours. If the tool truly freed up four hours right after testing, the conditional value is 1200 UAH. This is not earned money: free time still needs to be used, and your own hourly rate may differ from what you are paid.

Check the billing currency, taxes, limits, auto-renewal, and cancellation method. Do not compare an aggregator's credits with API tokens as identical units: you need the specific price of your operation. Access to a model in a third-party service also does not mean getting its separate official subscription.

Comparison worksheet

Comparison of two AIs on my tasks Date, service, model/mode, plan: Task 1: frequent work activity. Input data and expected result: Task 2: complex case with a known correct answer: Task 3: re-editing while maintaining constraints: For each task: success yes/no; critical error; minutes of verification; number of corrections; limit/availability. Monthly price including taxes/fees, if applicable: Does the free version cover the need? Subscription review date before next charge: Conclusion: buy / keep free / still testing. Why:

Which decision to make

If the free version covers the work — keep it. If the paid version consistently solves an important task — test the smallest necessary plan. If the difference is unclear, postpone the purchase and collect better examples. In our development tools review there are directions for choice; this sheet helps test them in your work.

Source and limits

Anthropic: success criteria and evaluation. The material does not contain measured service ratings or affiliate discounts. The numerical example is hypothetical.