All of us are searching for the AI tools that are truly worth using and that actually solve real problems. So we recently tested three prominent coder bots (Codex, Cursor, and Factory) to evaluate their practical capabilities for reducing log volume and cloud expenditures to see which one is currently the most effective.
The Test Scenario
We noticed our cloud bill spiking significantly, primarily due to increased log volume in our Datadog usage. Using our APX dashboard, we captured the exact service causing the spike, aiming to leverage each bot's capabilities to propose effective and actionable solutions.
Evaluating the Coderbots
1. OpenAI Codex
Codex quickly delivered a clean solution within approximately one minute. It implemented a "warn-once" helper function to avoid duplicate logging statements. While neat and rapidly delivered, it failed to address the actual source of the log spike identified in our APX dashboard. Despite speed and usability, Codex's solution did not effectively reduce our log volume.
Grade: ❌ Did not solve the problem.
2. Cursor
Cursor stood out immediately by identifying existing rate-limiting configurations for logs. Within roughly 30 seconds, Cursor proposed targeted tweaks to these settings, demonstrating clear comprehension of our current setup. The recommended changes were straightforward, easy to review, and directly addressed the root cause of log volume growth.
Grade: ✅ Fast, accurate, and effective.
3. Factory
Factory, using its Code Droid with the Sonnet 4 model, had a confusing user experience. Initial configuration issues meant significant delays and confusion. Once it got going, Factory took around 11 minutes total, involving multiple prompts, unnecessary clarifications, and made extensive file modifications that were challenging to review quickly. Although it is thorough, its process and complexity overshadowed practical usability.
Grade: ❌ Complex, slow, and confusing.
Final Thoughts
In our practical test, Cursor emerged as the clear winner, offering fast, relevant, and efficient code adjustments directly addressing our cloud cost issue. Codex, while quick, missed the mark on the actual problem. Factory, despite its extensive thinking, suffered from 10-20x slower performance and significant usability issues.
When managing real-world cloud optimization, the clarity, speed, and precision of Cursor make it the recommended choice.
Visit http://tryapx.com/ to view issues in your tech stack and test these tools out for yourself!