RAG vs Fine-Tuning: Which Should You Choose?
Founders and CTOs ask about RAG vs Fine-Tuning constantly. The right answer depends on your team, timeline, budget, and product — not Twitter opinions. Here is a practical decision framework for $10K+ projects.
RAG
Best when your team, ecosystem, or existing codebase already aligns with RAG. Consider hiring senior help if production quality or AI integration is on the critical path.
Fine-Tuning
Best when Fine-Tuning solves a specific constraint — performance, hiring pool, or vendor requirements. Validate with a scoped POC before committing full product build.
Decision checklist
- → What does your team already know?
- → What is your App Store / launch deadline?
- → Do you need AI, RAG, or complex backend integration?
- → What is the cost of a 3-month rewrite if you choose wrong?