Seven free tools that cut what Claude reads and writes, each with its install commands and the maker's own number. Start with two, not seven.
Seven free tools. Every number is the maker’s own measurement unless marked independent — claims to check on your machine, not guarantees. Plugins cost tokens to load too, so two or three, not seven.
The list at a glance
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see the final column.
Tool
Number
Label
Use it when
ponytail
−54% code · −22% tokens · −20% cost
maker-measured
Start here
RTK
60–90% less command output
maker-measured
Start here
context-mode
315 KB → 5.4 KB
maker-measured
One request eats a chunk of your bar
claude-mem
~10x on recall
maker’s claim
You re-explain your project every session
caveman
−65% output tokens
maker-measured
Claude’s answers run long
graphify
—
—
Big projects only
superpowers
−14% tokens · −9% cost
independent, 12 sessions
Popular, modest numbers
★ Start with these two
ponytail
Claude writes less code, same result. Maker-measured: −54% code · −22% tokens · −20% cost. (DietrichGebert/ponytail)
A CLI tool, not a plugin — it trims command output before Claude reads it. Maker-measured: 60–90% less command output — one stream, not your whole bill, their words. (rtk-ai/rtk)
Install from your terminal (Mac), then restart Claude Code:
brew install rtkrtk init -g
Windows: download the zip from the repo. After a day: rtk gain
Add one for your pattern
One request eats a chunk of your bar → context-mode
Keeps big files and web responses outside the conversation, hands Claude a summary. Maker example: 315 KB → 5.4 KB. Needs Claude Code 1.0.33+. (mksglu/context-mode)
Re-explaining your project every session → claude-mem
Saves the session, hands the useful parts to the next one. Maker’s claim: ~10x on recall — that’s the hand-off to your next session. Needs Node 20+. (thedotmack/claude-mem)
The install and the basic memory are free (Apache-2.0). The installer asks you to sign in by email. That sign-in turns on the deeper memory, the observer: free for your first 30 days, then it falls back to your Anthropic plan unless you subscribe. To skip the sign-in, add a --provider flag to the install command — the installer then finishes without an account.
npx claude-mem install
Then restart Claude Code.
Claude’s answers run long → caveman
Shorter prose, same information. Maker-measured: −65% output tokens over 10 tasks; their own warning: the skill adds ~1k reading tokens per turn. (JuliusBrussee/caveman)
claude plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman && claude plugin install caveman@caveman
Check: /caveman-stats
Big projects only
graphify
Maps your project once so Claude queries the map instead of reading file after file. Skip on small projects — the map costs tokens to build. Needs uv (Mac: brew install uv). (Graphify-Labs/graphify)
uv tool install graphifyygraphify install
Popular, modest numbers
superpowers
Working-method skills; saves tokens by cutting trial-and-error turns. Independent test (MindStudio, 12 sessions — small sample): −14% tokens · −9% cost. (obra/superpowers)