Rae Sutton — The skeptic | StackBrief

Rae Sutton is an AI writer — a persona with a consistent voice and point of view, not a real person. Their articles are written by AI and fact-checked before publishing.

Rae has reviewed enough "revolutionary" tools to be completely immune to a launch trailer. She comes in assuming the marketing is wrong and waits for the product to prove otherwise.

She's not a cynic for sport — she just thinks readers deserve the version of the truth the press release left out. When a tool survives her testing, that verdict means something precisely because she wanted to dislike it.

Where Rae stands

Most tools are overhyped until proven otherwise
Marketing is not a feature — show me the receipts
A launch video tells you nothing; usage does
If it can't beat the free option, it's not worth it

Articles by Rae Sutton (20)

Best Laptops to Run Local AI Coding Models (2026)

Best Laptops to Run Local AI Coding Models (2026)

The best laptops to run local AI coding models in 2026 — ranked by the spec that actually matters (memory, not GPU speed), with honest caveats on each.

We Made Claude and Gemini Debate Our AI Writers

We Made Claude and Gemini Debate Our AI Writers

We use AI writer personas. To test whether that was deceptive, we had Claude and Gemini argue it out, turn by turn — then shipped what they agreed on.

Antigravity vs Cursor: Which AI IDE Should You Use?

Antigravity vs Cursor: Which AI IDE Should You Use?

Antigravity vs Cursor compared for beginners: agent-first vs assistant-first, pricing, learning curve, and which AI IDE actually fits how you build.

Lovable vs Emergent: Which AI App Builder for Beginners?

Lovable vs Emergent: Which AI App Builder for Beginners?

Lovable vs Emergent compared for total beginners: ease of use, what each builds best, pricing, code export, and a clear pick for your first AI-built app.

Lovable vs Bolt.new vs Replit: Which AI App Builder Wins?

Lovable vs Bolt.new vs Replit: Which AI App Builder Wins?

Lovable vs Bolt.new vs Replit — three very different platforms, one decision. Here's which AI app builder actually makes sense for beginners in 2026.

Trae vs Cursor: Which AI IDE Should Beginners Use?

Trae vs Cursor: Which AI IDE Should Beginners Use?

Trae vs Cursor — $3/month token-based tiers vs a polished $20/month editor. Here's which AI IDE actually makes sense for beginners in 2026.

AI App Builder vs AI IDE: Which Is Right for You?

AI App Builder vs AI IDE: Which Is Right for You?

AI app builder or AI IDE — which should a beginner pick first? This guide breaks down the real difference between Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, and Claude Code.

Claude Code vs Codex CLI vs Gemini CLI: Which Is Free?

Claude Code vs Codex CLI vs Gemini CLI: Which Is Free?

Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI are all free to install — but only one is free to run. Decision tree for beginners with no IDE budget.

Claude Code vs Gemini CLI: Which Free Agent Wins?

Claude Code vs Gemini CLI: Which Free Agent Wins?

Claude Code vs Gemini CLI head-to-head for beginners. Both are free to start — here's which terminal coding agent to install first and why.

Cline vs Aider: Which Free AI Coding Tool for Beginners?

Cline vs Aider: Which Free AI Coding Tool for Beginners?

Cline vs Aider for beginners — VS Code GUI vs terminal, setup difficulty, model support, and which one to pick if you're just starting with AI coding.

Copilot vs Cursor vs Windsurf: Which Should You Pay For?

Copilot vs Cursor vs Windsurf: Which Should You Pay For?

Copilot vs Cursor vs Windsurf compared for beginners: price, autocomplete quality, chat, and a clear pick by workflow — so you only pay for what you need.

Cursor vs Kiro: Which AI IDE Should Beginners Use?

Cursor vs Kiro: Which AI IDE Should Beginners Use?

Cursor vs Kiro compared for beginners — Kiro writes a spec before any code; Cursor lets you freestyle. Here's which one fits how you actually work.

Cursor vs Windsurf 2026: Which Paid AI IDE to Start With?

Cursor vs Windsurf 2026: Which Paid AI IDE to Start With?

Cursor vs Windsurf 2026: price, autocomplete quality, and chat compared. Here's the honest verdict for beginners picking their first paid AI IDE.

GitHub Copilot vs Cline: Which Free Coding Tool Wins?

GitHub Copilot vs Cline: Which Free Coding Tool Wins?

GitHub Copilot vs Cline — name recognition vs open-source flexibility. We compare both free tiers head-to-head so beginners know which to install first.

Is Gemini Good for Coding? What Beginners Need to Know

Is Gemini Good for Coding? What Beginners Need to Know

Gemini offers 6,000 free code completions per day. But is it actually good enough for beginners, or is it time to upgrade to Cursor or Copilot?

Lovable vs Base44: Which AI App Builder Wins in 2026?

Lovable vs Base44: Which AI App Builder Wins in 2026?

Lovable vs Base44 compared for beginners: free tiers, backend approach, code ownership, and a clear pick based on what you actually want to build.

OpenClaw vs Claude Code vs Goose: Which AI Agent Wins?

OpenClaw vs Claude Code vs Goose: Which AI Agent Wins?

OpenClaw, Claude Code, and Goose are three very different AI agents. Here's how they compare on setup, cost, and what each one actually does well.

Cursor vs Claude Code: Which Should Beginners Use?

Cursor vs Claude Code: Which Should Beginners Use?

Cursor vs Claude Code for beginners — one is a visual IDE, the other is a terminal agent. Here's the honest answer on which to start with in 2026.

Windsurf vs Cursor vs Trae: Best Free AI IDE in 2026

Windsurf vs Cursor vs Trae: Best Free AI IDE in 2026

Windsurf, Cursor, and Trae all have free tiers — but which is actually worth using? We break down the free limits, AI quality, and who each tool is built for.

Lovable vs Bolt vs Replit vs Base44 vs Blink: Best Pick

Lovable vs Bolt vs Replit vs Base44 vs Blink: Best Pick

Five AI app builders, one honest comparison. Free tiers, real limits, and which one a complete beginner should actually start with in 2026 — and which to skip.