Cloud model options for a small prototype?
I’m building a small prototype for alpha testing and need advice on model/provider choice.
The task is structured text generation: the user gives a role, context, problem, audience, and goal; the model returns 5–6 different outline options with sections, evidence needed, possible objections, etc.
This may just end up being “another chatbot,” which is exactly what I’m trying to validate early before spending too much time or money.
My laptop is too weak to run a useful local model, and paid cloud APIs can get expensive fast. I need something cloud-hosted that a small closed group can test.
Constraints:
- free or very cheap
- no surprise billing
- decent structured/JSON output
- good enough reasoning, not generic filler
- okay for non-sensitive test data
- easy to swap providers later
Options I’m considering:
- Gemini free tier for fake/test data
- Hugging Face inference
- cheap rented GPU
- Qwen/Llama/Mistral/Gemma through some hosted setup
What would you use for this?
Main question: what’s the least painful setup for closed alpha testing without spending real money before I know the idea is useful?