Build a Web App with AI Without Overpaying

Build a Web App with AI Without Overpaying A workflow diagram generated by Archify. 01 / Build 02 / Infrastructure Prototype free Add real infra only when needed Route models + ship Cut Scope · one core workflow · Build › Prototype free Cut Scope one core workflow Free-Tier Prototype · Replit / Bolt Agent · Build › Prototype free Free-Tier Prototype Replit / Bolt Agent Route Model Tiers · cheap for CRUD, frontier for logic · Build › Route models + ship Route Model Tiers cheap for CRUD, frontier for logic Managed DB Free Tier · Neon / Supabase · Infrastructure › Add real infra only when needed Managed DB Free Tier Neon / Supabase Integrate Auth SDK · Clerk / Supabase Auth · Infrastructure › Add real infra only when needed · not custom-built Integrate Auth SDK Clerk / Supabase Auth not custom-built Usage-Based Hosting · Workers / Vercel / Railway · Infrastructure › Route models + ship Usage-Based Hosting Workers / Vercel / Railway Legend User UI Agent logic Policy Context / trace Cloud service

Cheapest Sequencing

  • • Prototype the core flow before adding a real database
  • • Integrate existing auth instead of building it
  • • Cheap models for scaffolding, frontier models for architecture and security

Where Cost Creeps In

  • • Building auth from scratch burns tokens and time
  • • A fixed-cost server before traffic is known
  • • Frontier models used for routine CRUD generation