ModelPricing.aiOpenAI API Pricing
OpenAI API pricing ranges from low-cost GPT-5 Nano to GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, Codex, and o-series reasoning models. Below is the current standard pricing for tracked OpenAI models. Rates sourced from the official OpenAI pricing page. Compare with Anthropic Claude and Google Gemini, or see all models in our LLM pricing comparison.
OpenAI API Pricing at a Glance
These are the OpenAI rows most useful for cost planning: Nano for high-volume routing, GPT-5 for general work, GPT-5.5 for higher-end long-context work, and o-series models for reasoning.
| Model | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Pricing Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5 Nano | $0.05 | $0.40 | Lowest standard OpenAI row |
| GPT-5 | $1.25 | $10.00 | General-purpose flat pricing |
| GPT-5.4 | $2.50 / $5.00 | $15.00 / $22.50 | Breakpoint at 272K tokens |
| GPT-5.5 | $5.00 / $10.00 | $30.00 / $45.00 | Breakpoint at 272K tokens |
| o3 | $2.00 | $8.00 | Reasoning-focused work |
All OpenAI Models
| Model | Input $/1M tokens | Output $/1M tokens | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
OpenAI Model Tiers
GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4 & GPT-5 Family
GPT-5.5 and GPT-5.4 use short- and long-context pricing at a 272K-token breakpoint. The broader GPT-5 family includes GPT-5, GPT-5 Mini, GPT-5 Nano, GPT-5 Pro, and Codex variants optimized for code generation.
O-Series Reasoning Models
The o-series includes o3, o3-pro, o3-mini, o4-mini, and deep research variants. These models excel at complex reasoning tasks with pricing from $1.10/1M input (o3-mini, o4-mini) to $150/1M input (o1-pro).
GPT-4 Family
GPT-4o and GPT-4.1 series remain available. GPT-4.1 Nano offers excellent value at $0.10/1M input tokens, competitive with the cheapest models on the market.
OpenAI API Monthly Cost Estimates
How much will the OpenAI API cost you per month? Here are realistic estimates based on typical usage patterns. Use our LLM cost calculator for a precise estimate.
Light Use
$5-25/mo
- Personal projects
- <1K requests/day
- GPT-5 Nano or Mini
Medium Use
$25-150/mo
- Small team apps
- 1-5K requests/day
- GPT-5 or GPT-4.1
Heavy Use
$150-600/mo
- Production apps
- 5-20K requests/day
- GPT-5 or o3 models
Enterprise
$600+/mo
- Large-scale deployments
- 20K+ requests/day
- GPT-5.4 or o3-pro
Which OpenAI Model Should You Use?
OpenAI offers the widest range of models at different price points. Here's a quick guide to picking the right one for your use case.
| Use Case | Recommended Model | Est. Monthly Cost | Why This Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-volume classification | GPT-5 Nano | $5-20 | Cheapest per token, fast inference |
| General chatbot | GPT-5 Mini | $15-80 | Good quality at budget pricing |
| Code generation | GPT-5 Codex | $30-150 | Optimized for code, same price as GPT-5 |
| Complex reasoning | o3 | $50-200 | Chain-of-thought reasoning for hard problems |
| Research & deep analysis | o3-deep-research | $200-800 | Specialized for in-depth research tasks |
| Budget reasoning | o4-mini | $20-100 | Reasoning capability at lower cost |
5 Ways to Reduce Your OpenAI API Costs
Use the right model size
GPT-5 Nano costs 25x less than GPT-5 for input tokens. Use smaller models for simple tasks and only upgrade when quality matters.
Stay under the 272K breakpoint
GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 Pro, and GPT-5.5 use short- and long-context pricing around the 272K-token threshold. Keep prompts concise or use smaller flat-rate models (GPT-5, GPT-5 Mini) when they fit the task.
Use batch API for non-urgent tasks
OpenAI's batch API offers 50% discounts for asynchronous requests. Ideal for data processing, content generation, and bulk analysis.
Limit output tokens
Output tokens cost 4-8x more than input across OpenAI models. Set max_tokens appropriately and use structured outputs to keep responses concise.
Monitor with the ModelPricing API
Track token consumption across all your OpenAI models programmatically. Identify which models and endpoints drive the most cost. Get started free.
How OpenAI Pricing Compares to Claude and Gemini
OpenAI offers the widest model range, from the cheapest option (GPT-5 Nano) to premium reasoning (o3-pro). Here's how it stacks up against Anthropic Claude and Google Gemini. See our full LLM pricing comparison for all models.
| 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 |
OpenAI Cost Calculator
To estimate your OpenAI API costs accurately, use our LLM Cost Calculator which supports tracked OpenAI models from the standard rate table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does GPT-5.4 cost?
GPT-5.4 uses breakpoint pricing at 272K tokens: $2.5/1M input and $15/1M output below the threshold, $5/1M input and $22.5/1M output above it. GPT-5.5 is also tracked and uses higher standard input/output pricing in the current table.
What is the cheapest OpenAI model?
GPT-5 Nano is the most affordable at $0.05/1M input tokens and $0.4/1M output tokens, followed by GPT-4.1 Nano at $0.1/1M input tokens.
How much do OpenAI o-series reasoning models cost?
o3 costs $2/1M input and $8/1M output. o4-mini costs $1.1/1M input and $4.4/1M output. o3-pro costs $20/1M input and $80/1M output for maximum reasoning capability.
Is the OpenAI API free?
OpenAI API billing is usage-based. Any trial credits, promos, or account-specific grants can change over time, so check your OpenAI billing dashboard before relying on free usage for production.
GPT-5 vs GPT-4o — which is more cost-effective?
GPT-5 ($1.25/1M input) is cheaper than GPT-4o ($2.50/1M input) and generally more capable. For most use cases, GPT-5 or GPT-5 Mini offers better value than the older GPT-4o series.
How does OpenAI batch API pricing work?
OpenAI offers a batch API with a 50% discount on token costs for asynchronous processing. You submit a batch of requests and receive results within 24 hours. This is ideal for bulk data processing, content generation, and any task that does not require real-time responses.
What are OpenAI API rate limits?
OpenAI rate limits vary by model and usage tier. New accounts start with lower limits that increase as you build usage history. Rate limits are measured in tokens per minute (TPM) and requests per minute (RPM). Higher-tier models like o3-pro have stricter rate limits.
How much does Codex cost?
OpenAI Codex models (GPT-5 Codex, GPT-5.1 Codex, etc.) are priced the same as their base GPT-5 counterparts — $1.25/1M input and $10/1M output tokens. The Codex variants are optimized for code generation without any price premium.
Estimate Your OpenAI API Costs
Get standard-rate cost estimates for tracked OpenAI models with our API. Or try the LLM cost calculator to compare across all providers.
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