AI model replacement, measured

Find the cheapest AI model that still passes your real work.

Upload real tasks from your Claude, GPT or Gemini workload. Harpd tests cheaper models against them and measures quality, cost, latency and reliability before you switch.

Your workload, not a leaderboardQuality + cost, measuredSwitch only when safe
Cost opportunity

See your cost opportunity in 10 seconds.

Pick what you run today. We rank the cheaper models by raw price — then tell you the only honest next step.

Estimated current monthly cost$0
Cheapest price candidates$0
Possible monthly saving$0
Annualized saving$0

Cheaper doesn't mean safe. Test candidates against your real tasks.

What Harpd does

Harpd helps you measure what your AI workload actually costs, optimize it by finding cheaper models that pass your real tasks, and control production spend with hard limits — so you spend less and never overspend.

16models tracked
7providers tracked
Openbenchmark data (planned)
5open-source SDKs
0funds held — non-custodial

Built on evidence, not model rankings. Pricing is sourced from official provider pages and exported as machine-readable JSON + CSV.

Why it matters

Autonomous agents spend real money — often with no one watching.

3agent-payment protocols covered: x402, MPP, AP2
2operating modes: Observe (read-only) and Enforce (pre-settlement guardrails)
0funds or private keys held — fully non-custodial

A single misconfigured agent can issue thousands of paid API calls without a human in the loop. Spend Control makes that spend visible and bounded before it becomes a bill. Read how on the blog →

01

Measure

Know what your AI workload actually costs — by model, agent, and task.

02

Optimize

Find cheaper models that pass your real tasks, with evidence, not a public leaderboard.

03

Control

Stop production agents from overspending with budgets, approvals, and reconciliation.

From the blog

AI cost intelligence guides.

Aug 19, 2026

Debunking the Myth: Why Cheap-Per-Token AI Models Can Inflate Overall Costs

"Debunking the myth of cheap-per-token AI models & their hidden costs. Learn how optimizing for Cost per Successful Task saves up to 90% (McKinsey)."

Read post
Aug 18, 2026

Cost-Effective LLMs for JSON Extraction, Classification, and Code Review: A Comparative Analysis

Compare cost-effective LLMs for JSON extraction, classification, and code review. Analyze top options, capabilities, and integrate with observability tools like @harpd/observe.

Read post
Aug 15, 2026

How to Audit AI Agent Transactions: A Practical Guide to Schema, Spend, and Compliance

Learn how to audit AI agent transactions with a shared audit schema, track spend, and ensure compliance in finance, healthcare, and support use cases.

Read post
Built in the open

Open-source SDKs for agent observability, audit, and budget governance.

@harpd/observe

Zero-dependency transaction observability for AI agents.

Harpd Labs

Experiments live under Harpd Labs.

Stillwell (sleep), CrewProof (cleaning), ImgKit (gifts) and Fate (games) are separate experiments on their own subdomains — kept off harpd.com so this site stays focused on AI cost intelligence.

Harpd Spend Control, in plain terms

What does Harpd do?
Harpd is AI Cost Intelligence. We help teams measure what their AI workloads actually cost, find cheaper models that can safely replace expensive ones, and put hard spending limits around production AI agents — so you spend less and never overspend.
What is an AI agent payment?
An AI agent payment is a machine-initiated transaction where an autonomous agent pays for an API, tool or service on your behalf — using protocols like x402, MPP or AP2. Spend Control attributes and gates those payments.
How does Spend Control stop agents from overspending?
It intercepts paid calls before settlement. You set per-agent budgets, allowlists and an approval threshold; calls that exceed a limit are blocked or routed to a human for review, then every payment is reconciled against the policy afterwards.
Does Spend Control hold my money or private keys?
No. Spend Control is non-custodial. It observes and gates spend through your existing payment stack — it never takes custody of funds or signing keys, so there is no new counterparty risk.
Which AI agent payment protocols does it support?
Spend Control works across the three leading agent-payment protocols: x402, MPP and AP2. The same policy layer applies regardless of which protocol an agent uses to pay.
What is the difference between Observe and Enforce mode?
Observe mode attributes and reports spend with no blocking — safe to switch on immediately. Enforce mode applies budgets and approvals before settlement, actively preventing overspend. You can start in Observe and move to Enforce when confident.
Are Stillwell, CrewProof, ImgKit and Fate part of Spend Control?
No. They are separate experiments built under Harpd Labs: Stillwell (sleep and calm), CrewProof (cleaning crew scheduling), ImgKit Gift Studio (personalized digital gifts), and Fate (a symbolic life roguelike). They live on their own subdomains and a single Harpd Labs link — Harpd.com stays focused on AI cost intelligence.
Get started

Know the cheapest model that passes your real work.

Test 20 tasks free