Agentic coding is a financial trap

Autonomous AI coding agents are shifting from predictable flat-rate subscriptions to pay-per-token models that can cost $12-20+ per task, creating hidden financial risks for developers as agentic loops consume massive amounts of tokens through repeated self-correction and iteration. This represents a fundamental change in software economics, where the vendor's financial risk is transferred to users who must provide their own API keys and watch costs accumulate in real-time, making these tools economically inefficient compared to traditional developer tools that cost $1,000-2,000 annually.