# Models and engines

Which models Machine Code can use, who pays for each, the engine setting, your own Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan, comparing models, and the Usage view.

Canonical page: https://themachine.myapps.ai/docs/code/models

## The model picker

Click the model button in the message box. The picker shows every model you
can use in one list, a section per provider, grouped by model family. Each
section has a tag that tells you who pays:

![The model picker: the Machine section with a Machine credits tag, its models grouped into Claude, GPT, and Gemini](/images/docs/code/model-picker.webp)

| Tag | Who pays |
|---|---|
| **Machine credits** | Your Machine balance, the same as in the rest of Machine. This covers Machine's own models and any provider you connected to your Machine project. |
| **Bills your Claude plan** | Your own Claude subscription, through Claude Code on this computer. |
| **Bills your ChatGPT plan** | Your own ChatGPT subscription. |
| **Bills your Cursor plan** | Your own Cursor subscription, through Cursor Agent on this computer. |

Machine models show the right context size from the first message.

### Change the model in a running chat

In a chat that's already going, the picker lists the chat's own provider
first. Pick another model there and it switches in place.

Other providers are listed too, marked *Continues in a new chat with this
conversation*. Pick one and Machine Code starts a new chat on that provider,
carrying the conversation so far, and puts it in the old chat's tab.

## Engine

Machine models run inside an agent program called the **engine**. In the
picker they're all under one entry, **Machine**.

To choose the engine, open **Settings › Providers**, expand **Advanced**, and
set **Engine**:

![Settings › Providers: the Machine provider, the Engine setting under Advanced, Your plans on this PC, and Web search](/images/docs/code/providers.webp)

| Engine | Notes |
|---|---|
| **Claude Code** | The default. |
| **OpenCode** | An open-source agent. |
| **Codex** | Shown only when Machine offers it for your account. |

The engine applies to new agents. *Agents you already started keep their
engine.* Engines ship inside Machine Code, so there's nothing extra to
install.

## Your plans on this PC

If you pay for Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor yourself, Machine Code can use that
plan on this computer. It *uses your own Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor login on
this computer and bills your plan, not Machine credits.*

Open **Settings › Providers** and find **Your plans on this PC**. Each plan
starts **Off**. Turn on the switch on its row; if you aren't signed in to that
plan on this computer yet, a sign-in button appears under it:

| Row | Sign in with |
|---|---|
| **Your Claude plan · Claude Code** | **Sign in to Claude** |
| **Your ChatGPT plan · Codex** | **Sign in with ChatGPT** |
| **Your Cursor plan · Cursor Agent** | **Sign in to Cursor** |

Sign-in happens in the vendor's own login flow. Machine Code never sees your
password. Once you're signed in, the plan's models appear in the picker with a
**Bills your … plan** tag.

![The model picker with Your Claude plan and Your ChatGPT plan sections, each tagged Bills your plan](/images/docs/code/model-picker-plans.webp)

These agents still get your Machine connectors and web search. They just
don't spend Machine credits.

> **Claude and Cursor plans you connected on the Machine web app**
> A Claude or Cursor subscription you connected to your Machine project runs in
> Machine Cloud, not on your computer. To use it from Machine Code, start the
> task with **Run on › Machine Cloud**. To use your plan locally, sign in under
> **Your plans on this PC** instead.

## Compare models

Not sure which model will do best? Send the same task to several at once.

1. On the **New task** screen, click **Compare models**.
2. Tick 2 to 4 models, or click **Use suggested** for a set of flagships.
   Click **Done**.
3. Send your task.

![Compare models with four models ticked, and the Use suggested and Done buttons](/images/docs/code/compare-models.webp)

Each model works on *its own copy of the code*, in its own worktree. Read the
results side by side and keep the one you like. Click **Stop comparing** to
go back to a single model.

## Usage

Click **Usage** at the bottom of the sidebar (or open **Settings › Usage**)
to see what you've used:

| Section | What it shows |
|---|---|
| **Machine** | Your wallet balance as one bar: monthly credits left plus top-ups left. What you spent this billing period, split into compute and LLM, your plan, and the renewal date. |
| **Connected to Machine** | The ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and own-key connections on your Machine project, with their status. |
| **Your plans on this PC** | The plans you signed in to on this computer. Cursor shows Cursor's own meters and your on-demand limit. |

Click **Refresh all** to update everything. **Summary in sidebar** pins
chosen meters to the sidebar footer.