# Choosing a model

> A decision guide for daily chat, long context, reasoning and free use.

Source: https://reverie.im/en/docs/reference/choosing-a-model
Language: en

New chats start on **DeepSeek V4.1 Flash** at 0.3×. Switch when you have a concrete reason — a bigger context window, images, visible reasoning, or a smaller bill. The full lineup with exact numbers is on [Models](https://reverie.im/en/docs/reference/models).

## Pick by what you need \[#pick-by-what-you-need]

| You want                                | Use                                                                                           | Cost      | Trade-off                                                                                                                              |
| --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A good default for roleplay             | **DeepSeek V4.1 Flash**                                                                       | 0.3×      | None — nothing cheaper supports plugins or lore lookup                                                                                 |
| To spend nothing                        | **Llama 3.1 8B**                                                                              | 0×        | 15 messages per 3 hours, and no plugins, lore lookup or memory writes. [Free models](https://reverie.im/en/docs/reference/free-models) |
| A very long chat, or a large world book | **GLM 5.3 Flash**                                                                             | 0.5×      | 1,048,576 tokens, but reasoning is always on and can't be turned off                                                                   |
| The model to read images you attach     | **GLM 5.3 Flash** (0.5×), **DeepSeek V4.1 Flash** (0.3×) or **Gemini 3 Flash Preview** (1.2×) | 0.3×–1.2× | Gemini 3 Flash Preview needs a subscription                                                                                            |
| To watch the model think                | any model marked **Optional**, with reasoning switched on                                     | unchanged | Thinking tokens are billed like reply tokens                                                                                           |
| Reasoning that never switches off       | **DeepSeek R1**                                                                               | 1.0×      | No tool support: no plugins, lore lookup or memory writes                                                                              |
| The advanced tier                       | **Gemini 3 Flash Preview** (1.2×) or **GLM 5** (1.3×)                                         | 1.2×–1.3× | Requires an active [subscription](https://reverie.im/en/docs/billing/subscriptions)                                                    |

A big context window is not a paid feature: two basic-tier models hold a million tokens.

## What a turn actually costs \[#what-a-turn-actually-costs]

A turn is billed on everything sent plus the reply. A mature chat — character card, persona, world-book entries, history and a full reply — averages about 8,000 tokens:

| Multiplier | Models                       | Credits for an 8,000-token turn |
| ---------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| 0×         | Llama 3.1 8B                 | 0                               |
| 0.3×       | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash          | \~2,400                         |
| 0.4×       | MiMo V2.6 Flash              | \~3,200                         |
| 0.5×       | DeepSeek V3.2, GLM 5.3 Flash | \~4,000                         |
| 0.7×       | DeepSeek V4 Pro              | \~5,600                         |
| 1.0×       | DeepSeek R1, GLM 4.7         | \~8,000                         |
| 1.2×       | Gemini 3 Flash Preview       | \~9,600                         |
| 1.3×       | GLM 5                        | \~10,400                        |

For scale: a Pro plan's 2,600,000 monthly credits is roughly 1,000 turns on the default model, or about 250 on GLM 5. Short early messages cost far less than this; the number grows as history accumulates. [Credits](https://reverie.im/en/docs/billing/credits)

## Reading the picker's stats \[#reading-the-pickers-stats]

**Choose AI Model** shows community data next to each model. It is the only quality signal in the product — Reverie does not publish its own ranking.

| Stat         | How it reads                 | What it means                                                | Appears after               |
| ------------ | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------- |
| Quality      | `<n>% preferred`             | Share of blind side-by-side picks that went to this model    | 30 decided comparisons      |
| Confidence   | 1–5                          | How much data stands behind that percentage                  | —                           |
| Head-to-head | `Head-to-head (<n>)`         | This model's record against one specific other model         | 5 comparisons for that pair |
| Like rate    | a percentage                 | Share of replies given a thumbs up rather than a thumbs down | 3 rated replies             |
| Speed        | `TTFT <time> · <rate> tok/s` | Time to the first token, then tokens per second              | —                           |

Below those thresholds the picker says **Collecting data**, **No data yet** or **Just released** instead of a number. A model with few samples isn't worse — it's newer.

The comparison data comes from the card that offers two replies to your first message in a chat; whichever you keep is recorded as a vote. [Comparing two replies](https://reverie.im/en/docs/chatting/dual-comparison). Like rates come from the thumbs up and thumbs down on individual replies.

## When a different model isn't the answer \[#when-a-different-model-isnt-the-answer]

Reply length, point of view and pacing are settings, not model traits. Before paying more per turn, try **Settings → Replies & Generation** in the side panel for a standing change, or a [slash command](https://reverie.im/en/docs/chatting/slash-commands) for one turn only. Repetition and drift in a long chat are usually a context problem — a bigger window or tidier [memory](https://reverie.im/en/docs/chatting/memory) helps more than a pricier model.

## Related \[#related]

**[Models](https://reverie.im/en/docs/reference/models)**

The full table: multipliers, context windows and capabilities.

**[Free models](https://reverie.im/en/docs/reference/free-models)**

The 0× model, its quota and its limitations.

**[Comparing two replies](https://reverie.im/en/docs/chatting/dual-comparison)**

Where the picker's preference data comes from.

**[Reasoning mode](https://reverie.im/en/docs/chatting/reasoning-mode)**

Which models think, and how to see it.

**[Subscriptions](https://reverie.im/en/docs/billing/subscriptions)**

What a plan includes, including the advanced models.