Switch Models Mid-Conversation to Save Money

You don’t need to use the most expensive model for everything. Switch models on the fly with /model:

/model haiku     # Quick questions, simple edits, file lookups
/model sonnet    # Most coding tasks, refactoring, reviews
/model opus      # Complex architecture, multi-file refactors, debugging hard issues

Cost-Saving Strategy

Start every session with Sonnet. Only switch to Opus when you hit a problem that needs deep reasoning. Switch to Haiku for simple tasks like “rename this variable” or “add a comment here.”

Typical savings: 60-80% compared to using Opus for everything.

You Can Also Set It at Launch

claude --model sonnet    # Start with Sonnet
claude --model haiku     # Start with Haiku for quick tasks