April 30, 2026·4 min read
Do you actually need a fine-tuned model? An honest test
Most teams that think they need fine-tuning need retrieval. How to tell.
The honest test
Most businesses that think they need a fine-tuned model don't — retrieval or better prompting usually wins, cheaper and faster. You need fine-tuning when you need a consistent style or behavior that prompting can't reliably produce, and you have quality examples to teach it.
You probably need retrieval, not fine-tuning, when
- —You need the model to know *your facts* — use retrieval.
- —Your data changes often.
We'll tell you honestly which one your problem calls for, and only fine-tune when it earns its cost. Describe your use case.
Building something? Let's pressure-test it.
Describe your idea and get a straight, specific answer in seconds.