Budget Tiers

Budget tiers control the maximum amount a single research job can cost. Higher tiers unlock more providers and deeper research.

Tier Summary

You can override the default provider selection when creating a thread to include more or fewer providers within your tier's budget.

How Costs Work

Each job has an actual cost based on the providers used and the complexity of your query. The budget tier sets a cap -- you're only charged what the job actually costs, which is typically well under the tier maximum.

Example

A typical M-tier methodical run with two providers might cost around $4-$5 total -- well under the $15 cap. The cap exists to protect against unexpectedly expensive queries, not as an expected charge.

Required Balance

You need sufficient balance or a payment method on file to start a job. After the job completes, only the actual cost is deducted -- which is typically well under the tier cap.

Choosing a Tier

• Start with M -- Good balance of depth and cost for most queries
• Use S for simple questions -- "What is X?" or "When did Y happen?"
• Use L/XL for critical research -- When accuracy and comprehensiveness matter more than cost
• Use XXS/XS for iterative exploration -- Quick checks before committing to a deeper dive

Mode Interaction

Both modes produce a synthesis report. The key difference is execution strategy, not provider count.