For developers
API pricing: the real bill, per million tokens.
Consumer plans are flat-rate; the API is metered. Rates below are per million tokens (≈750k words), input / output, sorted cheap to expensive. Verified July 2026 — these change often.
| Provider | Model | Input /1M | Output /1M | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT-5.4 nano Fastest, cheapest | $0.05 | $0.40 | 272K |
| DeepSeek | V4-Flash Fast, cheap reasoning | $0.14 | $0.28 | 1M |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite Cheap, fast, multimodal | $0.25 | $1.50 | 1M | |
| DeepSeek | V4-Pro Top reasoning, cheap | $0.43 | $0.87 | 1M |
| Anthropic | Claude Haiku 4.5 Fast, near-Sonnet quality | $1.00 | $5.00 | 200K |
| xAI | Grok 4.5 Opus-class flagship | $2.00 | $6.00 | 500K |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro Frontier multimodal | $2.00 | $12.00 | 1M | |
| OpenAI | GPT-5.6 Terra Balanced flagship tier | $2.50 | $15.00 | 1M |
| Anthropic | Claude Sonnet 5 New Sonnet flagship | $3.00 | $15.00 | 1M |
| Anthropic | Claude Opus 4.8 Opus flagship | $5.00 | $25.00 | 1M |
| OpenAI | GPT-5.6 Sol New flagship (Jul 2026) | $5.00 | $30.00 | 1M |
| Anthropic | Claude Fable 5 Most powerful Claude | $10.00 | $50.00 | 1M |
| OpenAI | GPT-5.5 pro Most capable overall | $30.00 | $180.00 | 1M |
Worked example: a 2,500-word essay (≈6,700 tokens, half in/half out)
GPT-5.4 nano ≈ $0.002 · DeepSeek V4-Flash ≈ $0.002 · Claude Haiku 4.5 ≈ $0.02 · Claude Sonnet 5 ≈ $0.06 · Claude Opus 4.8 ≈ $0.10 · GPT-5.5 pro ≈ $0.45. The cheapest model is usually 95% as good for simple tasks — start cheap, escalate on failure.
Building for a team instead of an app? Multi-model access without writing code is what workspaces like AI bundles are for — and its Enterprise tier supports bring-your-own API keys if you want metered billing with a managed UI.
FAQ
API questions.
How do API prices work?
You pay per million tokens — roughly 750,000 words. Output tokens typically cost 3–6× input tokens. A 2,500-word translation costs anywhere from under a cent (mini models) to ~$0.45 (top reasoning models).
Which API is the best value in 2026?
For cheap capable output: DeepSeek V4-Flash ($0.14/$0.28) and GPT-5.4 nano ($0.05/$0.40). For quality-per-dollar in the mid tier: Claude Haiku 4.5 and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite. Start cheap and upgrade only when output quality actually fails.
Do I need the API or a subscription?
If you chat with AI, subscribe. The API is for developers building products — and for chat, subscriptions are almost always cheaper than paying per token at the flagship rates.