The Token-Based Pricing Model
Most AI APIs price by token count, separately for input and output, typically quoted per million tokens — your actual bill depends on both your request volume and the length of each request and response.
What Else to Check Beyond the Headline Rate
Rate limits at your specific plan tier, whether pricing scales down at higher committed volume, and any minimum spend or commitment requirements for enterprise-tier access.
Comparing Providers
See our LLM Pricing Comparison page and Pricing directory for current specific rates across major providers.
Related Pages
Frequently Asked
Is AI API pricing the same as consumer subscription pricing?
No, API pricing is typically usage-based (per token), while consumer subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus are flat monthly fees with usage limits.
Does API pricing include rate limits?
Yes, most plans include rate limits (requests per minute or per day) alongside per-token pricing.
Can I negotiate enterprise API pricing?
Often yes, at sufficient volume; contact the provider's sales team for custom enterprise pricing.
Where can I estimate my actual expected cost?
See our LLM Cost Calculator and AI API Cost Calculator.