★ Start with these two
ponytail
Claude writes less code, same result. Maker-measured: −54% code · −22% tokens · −20% cost. (DietrichGebert/ponytail)
Inside Claude Code, send two messages:
/plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
/plugin install ponytail@ponytail
RTK
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 rtk
rtk 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)
/plugin marketplace add mksglu/context-mode
/plugin install context-mode@context-mode
Check: /context-mode:ctx-stats
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 graphifyy
graphify 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)
/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official
After a day
rtk gain · /caveman-stats · /context-mode:ctx-stats — your saving, measured on your usage.
Sources: Anthropic help center (shared limits; 5-hour reset) · each tool’s README · MindStudio blog (superpowers numbers). Checked 2026-09-03.