OpenAI API Pricing
Creator of GPT series, the most widely adopted AI API platform
55 paid models · 11 free · Price range: $0.02 - $150.00 /1M
About OpenAI
OpenAI pioneered the modern LLM era with the GPT series. Their API powers millions of applications worldwide, from ChatGPT to enterprise solutions. OpenAI offers models ranging from the budget-friendly GPT-4o Mini to the powerful o1 reasoning model, with the most mature API ecosystem in the industry.
Key Highlights
- Most mature and stable API ecosystem
- Widest third-party integration support
- o1/o3 reasoning models for complex tasks
- Real-time API for voice applications
- GPT-4o with native multimodal capabilities
Pricing Features
- Pay-per-token billing
Offers Batch API (50% discount), cached input pricing, and volume discounts for enterprise customers. Free tier available with rate limits.
API Features
Common Use Cases
- • Chatbots & Virtual Assistants
- • Content Generation
- • Code Copilots
- • Voice Applications
- • Document Analysis
📊 OpenAI Model Comparison
Compare all models side by side. Sorted by total price (input + output).
| Model | Tier | Input /1M | Output /1M | Total /1M | Context | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text Embedding 3 Small | Budget | $0.02 | Free | $0.02 | 8k | Complex reasoning, math |
| Text Embedding Ada 002 | Budget | $0.10 | Free | $0.10 | 8k | Complex reasoning, math |
| gpt-oss-20b | Budget | $0.02 | $0.10 | $0.12 | 131k | Complex reasoning, math |
| Text Embedding 3 Large | Budget | $0.13 | Free | $0.13 | 8k | Complex reasoning, math |
| gpt-oss-120b (exacto) | Budget | $0.04 | $0.19 | $0.23 | 131k | Complex reasoning, math |
| gpt-oss-safeguard-20b | Budget | $0.07 | $0.30 | $0.38 | 131k | Complex reasoning, math |
🎯 Which OpenAI Model Should You Choose?
Quick recommendations based on your use case.
💰 OpenAI Monthly Cost Examples
Estimated monthly costs for common use cases.
| Use Case | Monthly Usage | Text Embedding 3 Small (Budget) |
o1-mini (Flagship) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Customer Service Bot
1000 conversations/day
|
500k input 200k output |
$0.01/mo | $0.00/mo |
|
Code Assistant
200 requests/day
|
1.0M input 500k output |
$0.02/mo | $0.00/mo |
|
Data Analysis
500 analyses/day
|
2.0M input 300k output |
$0.04/mo | $0.00/mo |
⚔️ OpenAI vs Competitors
How does {brand} compare to other major AI providers?
| Brand | Model | Input /1M | Output /1M | Total /1M | Context | vs {brand} |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
OpenAI
|
o1-mini Current | Free | Free | Free | 128k | — |
Anthropic
|
Claude Opus 4.5 | $5.00 | $25.00 | $30.00 | 200k | Infinity% more |
|
Anthropic
|
Claude Haiku 4.5 | $1.00 | $5.00 | $6.00 | 200k | Infinity% more |
|
Anthropic
|
Claude Sonnet 4.5 | $3.00 | $15.00 | $18.00 | 1.0M | Infinity% more |
|
Anthropic
|
Claude Opus 4.1 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $90.00 | 200k | Infinity% more |
|
Anthropic
|
Claude Opus 4 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $90.00 | 200k | Infinity% more |
|
Anthropic
|
Claude Sonnet 4 | $3.00 | $15.00 | $18.00 | 1.0M | Infinity% more |
All Models
❓ OpenAI Pricing FAQ
What is the cheapest OpenAI model?
The cheapest OpenAI model is Text Embedding 3 Small at $0.02 per 1M tokens (input + output combined).
What is the maximum context length for OpenAI models?
OpenAI models support up to 1.0M context length, allowing you to process large documents and maintain long conversations.
How do I choose between OpenAI models?
For budget projects, choose the cheapest model. For code generation, prioritize low output price. For complex reasoning, choose models with reasoning capability. Use our scenario guide above.