---
id: 6ce2055a-b51b-45e4-8ff0-d34b385f7552
type: decision
title: "Issue-Worker Model: Sonnet over Opus for Cost-Efficient Autonomous PRs"
tags: [claude-scheduled, issue-worker, model-selection, cost, decision, sonnet]
importance: 0.5
confidence: 0.8
created: "2026-03-02T20:05:15.162290+00:00"
updated: "2026-03-02T20:20:08.207657+00:00"
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---

# Model Selection: Sonnet for issue-worker

## Decision
Use Sonnet (not Opus) for the autonomous issue-worker agent.

## Rationale
- Sonnet: ~$0.40-0.80/issue vs Opus: ~$2-4/issue
- The $2 budget ceiling is sized for Sonnet
- Multiple safety nets exist (tests, PR review by Cal, agent can skip)
- Single-issue focused bug fixes are Sonnet's strength

## How to Change
One-line edit in `settings.json` to switch models. Revisit after reviewing PR quality over first week.

## Trade-off
Lower cost enables running on more issues; Opus reserved for tasks requiring deeper reasoning.