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Dev.to
7/12/2026
Claude Code Sends 33k Tokens Before Your Prompt; OpenCode Sends 7k

Claude Code Sends 33k Tokens Before Your Prompt; OpenCode Sends 7k

Short summary

A Systima benchmark reveals Claude Code sends ~33k tokens of system prompt and scaffolding before user input—4.7x OpenCode's ~7k. Claude Code also re-wrote up to 54x more prompt-cache tokens per session, and cache writes bill at a premium. However, Claude Code's whole-task total was lower on multi-step tasks due to batching. Real working setups can reach 75k-85k tokens before user input when instruction files and MCP servers are added.

  • •Claude Code ships ~33k tokens of overhead before user prompt vs OpenCode's ~7k (4.7x difference)
  • •Claude Code re-wrote up to 54x more prompt-cache tokens per session; cache writes bill at a premium
  • •Real setups with instruction files and MCP servers reach 75k-85k tokens before user input; session shape determines actual cost winner

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.

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The user wants me to rewrite a news headline for a mobile feed. Let me analyze the original:
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Study finds Claude Code sends ~33K tokens before reading user prompt, 4.7x more than OpenCode
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The 33k-token preamble is a bet. Here's how to check if it's paying off.
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The original title is: "I Measured Claude Code's Prompt-Cache Cost Three Ways. 85% of It Wasn't Mine to Trim."
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