An r/perplexity_ai post asked exactly this — coding/research CLI without paying for Claude Code or Codex. Five options ranked for the developer who already pays one subscription elsewhere.
Top Pick
Perplexity Pro + Comet + Scavio MCP ($50/mo total if Pro is new; $30/mo if Pro is existing) is the cheapest path with reasonable agent-shape research output.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Perplexity Pro + Comet + Scavio MCP
Pro subscribers wanting zero-additional-cost coding/research help
Pros
- No additional subscription
- Comet handles repo-aware Q&A
- Scavio MCP attaches typed multi-platform search
- Comet Skill bridges to Codex/Claude Code if needed
Cons
- Q&A-shaped, manual paste-back for edits
#2
Codex (ChatGPT Pro) + MCP
ChatGPT subscribers preferring OpenAI ecosystem
Pros
- Native multi-file editing
Cons
- Tied to ChatGPT mechanics
#3
Cursor Pro + Scavio MCP
Editor-first IDE preference
Pros
- Editor-first UX, MCP support
Cons
- Not a CLI
#4
Aider CLI + OpenRouter (BYO model)
Devs who BYO model and want OSS CLI
Pros
- OSS, BYO model
Cons
- Less polished than Claude Code/Codex
#5
DIY: shell scripts + curl + LLM API
Power users with strong shell discipline
Pros
- Total control
Cons
- You build the agent loop
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (existing Pro) | $30/mo extra | $30/mo extra | Per-token only |
| Native repo-aware editing | Q&A-shaped | Yes (Codex) | Q&A-shaped |
| MCP support | Yes (Pro+ March 2026) | Yes (Codex) | Limited |
| Best for | Pro subscribers, Q&A workflow | ChatGPT ecosystem | Editor-first preference |
Why Scavio Wins
- The OP's hard constraint is 'I don't want to pay for those right now'. Path-1 is the cheapest path that works with reasonable shape.
- Perplexity's March 2026 MCP support (Pro+) made path-1 viable. Before that, attaching custom remote tools to Perplexity was harder; in 2026 it's a settings-page action.
- Scavio MCP is the constant — it attaches to all five options as the typed multi-platform search layer. Decision is about agent runtime, not search vendor.
- Honest tradeoff: Q&A-shaped research with manual paste-back works for solo devs on small refactors. For multi-file repository-wide flow, Claude Code / Codex are more native.
- Per-month math: $50 total if starting fresh, $30 extra if Pro is already paid. Cheaper than Claude Max at $100/mo by a wide margin for users who don't need 6+ hours/day Opus.