ModelPricing.aiLLM Pricing Comparison — Compare AI API Costs
Side-by-side pricing comparison for the major LLM APIs tracked by ModelPricing.ai. Compare costs across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini to find the best model for your budget. All prices are per million tokens from the current standard rate table.
Side-by-Side Provider Comparison
| Model | Input $/1M tokens | Output $/1M tokens | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| claude-3-7-sonnet | $3.00 | $15.00 | Flat | |
| claude-fable-5 | $10.00 | $50.00 | Flat | |
| claude-haiku-3 | $0.250 | $1.25 | Flat | |
| claude-haiku-3-5 | $0.800 | $4.00 | Flat | |
| claude-haiku-4-5 | $1.00 | $5.00 | Flat | |
| claude-mythos-5 | $10.00 | $50.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-3 | $15.00 | $75.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-0 | $15.00 | $75.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-1 | $15.00 | $75.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-5 | $5.00 | $25.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-6 | $5.00 | $25.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-7 | $5.00 | $25.00 | Flat | |
| claude-opus-4-8 | $5.00 | $25.00 | Flat | |
| claude-sonnet-4-0 | $3.00 | $15.00 | Flat | |
| claude-sonnet-4-5 | $3.00 | $15.00 | Flat | |
| claude-sonnet-4-6 | $3.00 | $15.00 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.0-flash | $0.150 | $0.600 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.0-flash-lite | $0.075 | $0.300 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.5-computer-use | $1.25 / $2.50 | $10.00 / $15.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 200K tokens |
| gemini-2.5-flash | $0.300 | $2.50 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.5-flash-image | $0.300 | $2.50 | Multimodal | text, image |
| gemini-2.5-flash-lite | $0.100 | $0.400 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.5-flash-native-audio | $0.500 | $2.00 | Multimodal | text, audio |
| gemini-2.5-flash-preview-tts | $0.500 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gemini-2.5-pro | $1.25 / $2.50 | $10.00 / $15.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 200K tokens |
| gemini-2.5-pro-preview-tts | $1.00 | $20.00 | Flat | |
| gemini-3-flash | $0.500 | $3.00 | Flat | |
| gemini-3-pro-image-preview | $2.00 | $12.00 | Multimodal | text, image |
| gemini-3-pro-preview | $2.00 / $4.00 | $12.00 / $12.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 200K tokens |
| gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview | $0.500 | $3.00 | Multimodal | text, image |
| gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview | $0.250 | $1.50 | Flat | |
| gemini-3.1-pro-preview | $2.00 / $4.00 | $12.00 / $18.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 200K tokens |
| gemini-3.5-flash | $1.50 | $9.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-4.1 | $2.00 | $8.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-4.1-mini | $0.400 | $1.60 | Flat | |
| gpt-4.1-nano | $0.100 | $0.400 | Flat | |
| gpt-4o | $2.50 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-4o-mini | $0.150 | $0.600 | Flat | |
| gpt-5 | $1.25 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5-codex | $1.25 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5-mini | $0.250 | $2.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5-nano | $0.050 | $0.400 | Flat | |
| gpt-5-pro | $15.00 | $120.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.1 | $1.25 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.1-codex | $1.25 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.1-codex-max | $1.25 | $10.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.2 | $1.75 | $14.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.2-codex | $1.75 | $14.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.2-pro | $21.00 | $168.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.3-codex | $1.75 | $14.00 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.4 | $2.50 / $5.00 | $15.00 / $22.50 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 272K tokens |
| gpt-5.4-mini | $0.750 | $4.50 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.4-nano | $0.200 | $1.25 | Flat | |
| gpt-5.4-pro | $30.00 / $60.00 | $180.00 / $270.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 272K tokens |
| gpt-5.5 | $5.00 / $10.00 | $30.00 / $45.00 | Breakpoint | Threshold: 272K tokens |
| gpt-5.5-pro | $30.00 | $180.00 | Flat | |
| o1 | $15.00 | $60.00 | Flat | |
| o1-mini | $1.10 | $4.40 | Flat | |
| o1-pro | $150.00 | $600.00 | Flat | |
| o3 | $2.00 | $8.00 | Flat | |
| o3-deep-research | $10.00 | $40.00 | Flat | |
| o3-mini | $1.10 | $4.40 | Flat | |
| o3-pro | $20.00 | $80.00 | Flat | |
| o4-mini | $1.10 | $4.40 | Flat | |
| o4-mini-deep-research | $2.00 | $8.00 | Flat |
Cheapest LLM APIs in 2026
Looking for the lowest-cost LLM API? Here are the 10 cheapest models by input token price. Use our LLM cost calculator to estimate your total spend.
| Rank | Model | Provider | Input / 1M | Output / 1M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | gpt-5-nano | OpenAI | $0.050 | $0.40 |
| 2 | gemini-2.0-flash-lite | Google Gemini | $0.075 | $0.30 |
| 3 | gemini-2.5-flash-lite | Google Gemini | $0.100 | $0.40 |
| 4 | gpt-4.1-nano | OpenAI | $0.100 | $0.40 |
| 5 | gemini-2.0-flash | Google Gemini | $0.150 | $0.60 |
| 6 | gpt-4o-mini | OpenAI | $0.150 | $0.60 |
| 7 | gpt-5.4-nano | OpenAI | $0.200 | $1.25 |
| 8 | gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview | Google Gemini | $0.250 | $1.50 |
| 9 | claude-haiku-3 | Anthropic Claude | $0.250 | $1.25 |
| 10 | gpt-5-mini | OpenAI | $0.250 | $2.00 |
OpenAI vs Anthropic vs Google: Quick Comparison
How do the three major LLM providers compare at each price tier? Here's a side-by-side view of the best model from each provider at budget, mid-range, and flagship levels. All prices are per million tokens (input/output).
| Tier | OpenAI | Anthropic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | GPT-5 Nano — $0.05/$0.40 | Haiku 3 — $0.25/$1.25 | Flash Lite — $0.075/$0.30 |
| Mid-range | GPT-5 — $1.25/$10 | Sonnet 4.6 — $3/$15 | Gemini 2.5 Pro — $1.25/$10 |
| Flagship | GPT-5.4 — $2.50/$15 | Fable 5 / Mythos 5 — $10/$50 | Gemini 3.1 Pro — $2/$12 |
| Reasoning | o3 — $2/$8 | Sonnet 4.6 — $3/$15 | Gemini 2.5 Pro — $1.25/$10 |
How to read this: the cheapest model is rarely the whole answer. Context length, output volume, quality, cache behavior, and priority/fast modes can all change the practical best fit. For detailed provider breakdowns, see OpenAI pricing, Claude pricing, and Gemini pricing.
Cheapest LLM API by Use Case
The best model depends on what you're building. Here are our recommendations for the most cost-effective model for common use cases, based on the balance of quality and price.
| Use Case | Best Model | Provider | Input / 1M | Output / 1M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-volume chatbot | GPT-5 Nano | OpenAI | $0.05 | $0.40 |
| Code generation | Gemini 2.5 Pro | $1.25 | $10.00 | |
| Document analysis | Gemini 2.5 Flash | $0.30 | $2.50 | |
| Complex reasoning | Claude Fable 5 | Anthropic | $10.00 | $50.00 |
| Classification / extraction | Gemini Flash Lite | $0.075 | $0.30 | |
| Agentic workflows | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | Anthropic | $3.00 | $15.00 |
Compare by Provider
How to Choose the Right Model
The cheapest model isn't always the best choice. Consider these factors when comparing LLM API pricing:
- Task complexity: Simple tasks (classification, extraction) work well with budget models like GPT-5 Nano or Flash Lite. Complex reasoning, coding, or research benefits from flagship models like Claude Fable 5, GPT-5.4, or Gemini 3.1 Pro.
- Output vs input ratio: If your use case generates long responses, focus on output token cost — it's typically 2-8x more than input. For output-heavy tasks, Google Gemini Flash Lite has the cheapest output at $0.30/1M.
- Context length: Models with breakpoint pricing (Gemini 2.5/3.x Pro, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.5) charge more above 200-272K tokens. Stay under the threshold if possible, or use flat-rate models for long-context tasks. Current long-context Claude models like Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.8, Fable 5, and Mythos 5 use flat pricing across their full 1M context window.
- Model routing: Use cheap models for triage and only escalate to expensive models when needed. Route simple queries to GPT-5 Nano ($0.05/1M) and only send complex ones to GPT-5 ($1.25/1M). This can cut costs 50-80%.
- Latency requirements: If response speed matters, Flash and Nano models are significantly faster. Budget models also have higher rate limits, making them better for real-time applications.
- Prompt caching: Anthropic and some other providers offer prompt caching that dramatically reduces costs for repeated system prompts. If your application uses the same instructions across many requests, factor caching savings into your cost comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest LLM API?
In the current standard-rate table, the lowest input prices are GPT-5 Nano ($0.05/1M), Gemini 2.0 Flash Lite ($0.075/1M), and nano/flash models around $0.10/1M. They are best for high-volume classification, extraction, and routing.
How do LLM API prices compare across providers?
All three major providers now mix budget, mid-range, flagship, and special-mode pricing. OpenAI has the lowest standard input floor, Gemini is especially competitive in Flash tiers, and Anthropic is simpler on long-context Claude pricing for Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.8, Fable 5, and Mythos 5.
How much do LLM APIs cost per token?
LLM APIs typically charge $0.05-15 per million input tokens and $0.30-75 per million output tokens. Costs vary by model tier: budget models cost under $0.15/1M input, mid-range models cost $0.25-3/1M, and flagship models cost $1.25-15/1M input.
Which LLM is cheapest for high-volume usage?
For high-volume usage, start with the cheapest rows in the live table and validate quality against your workload. GPT-5 Nano and Gemini Flash Lite are good low-cost baselines; route harder requests to Sonnet, Opus, Fable, GPT, or Gemini Pro only when needed.
Which is cheaper, OpenAI or Anthropic?
At the budget tier, OpenAI usually has the lowest standard input price. At mid-range and flagship tiers, the right answer depends on context length, output volume, latency, quality, and whether cache, batch, priority, fast mode, or data residency pricing applies.
What is the cheapest AI API in 2026?
The lowest standard input price currently tracked is GPT-5 Nano at $0.05 per million input tokens, with Gemini Flash Lite close behind. Treat this as a starting point: total cost still depends on output length, cache use, and model quality.
How much does it cost to run an AI chatbot?
Running an AI chatbot typically costs $5-100/month for small-scale deployments using budget models, $100-500/month for production apps with mid-range models, and $500+/month for high-volume enterprise deployments. The exact cost depends on your model choice, message volume, and average conversation length.
Are there free LLM APIs?
Free access changes often. Google AI Studio has free-tier quotas for Gemini, and some providers offer trial credits or promos, but production API usage is usually paid. Check each provider dashboard before relying on free usage.
How do I estimate my LLM API costs?
Use our LLM cost calculator to estimate costs based on expected token usage, request volume, and model choice. For programmatic estimates, the ModelPricing API returns costs from the tracked standard rate table.
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