The short checklist
You do not need a giant platform to get the basics right. You need a few controls that directly map to real failure modes.
- Set a hard budget for a single run
- Stop repeated tool patterns before they compound
- Track cost per run so the expensive cases become visible
- Keep a remote stop path once the agent is production-facing
Why generic tracing is not enough
Tracing helps you inspect what happened after the fact. Runaway cost problems usually need a control surface, not just a replay surface.
That is the wedge: lightweight guardrails first, then a hosted dashboard for operations.
How the product model fits
Use the free SDK to prove the value locally. Add the paid dashboard when you need alerts, retention, remote kill, team workflows, and governance around the same guardrails.
When the paid dashboard is the right next step
The SDK should stay the first move. The dashboard becomes worth paying for when the same guardrails need to work as a hosted team system.
- You want remote kill without a redeploy.
- You need team-visible alerts instead of local logs.
- You need governance around shared services, not just personal scripts.
Try the small version first
Start with the free SDK, prove the guardrail locally, and only then move into the paid dashboard for alerts, retention, remote kill, team workflows, and governance.