AI API Pricing Comparison 2026: OpenAI vs Anthropic vs Google

Compare AI API pricing for GPT-5, Claude, Gemini & DeepSeek per 1M tokens. Find the CHEAPEST model for your use case. Updated March 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which AI API is the cheapest in 2026?
GPT-5 Nano at $0.05/1M input tokens and Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite at $0.10/1M are the cheapest options. For the best quality-to-cost ratio, DeepSeek V3.2 at $0.14/$0.28 per 1M tokens is hard to beat.
How much does it cost to use the OpenAI API?
OpenAI's flagship GPT-5 costs $1.25/$10 per 1M tokens (input/output). Budget options like GPT-5 Nano start at just $0.05/$0.20. Batch API gives a flat 50% discount on all models.
Is Claude API more expensive than GPT?
At the flagship tier, yes — Claude Opus 4.6 costs $5/$25 per 1M tokens vs GPT-5 at $1.25/$10. But Claude Haiku 4.5 at $1/$5 is competitive with GPT-4.1 at $2/$8 for lighter workloads.
How can I reduce my AI API costs?
Use prompt caching (saves up to 90%), batch APIs (50% off), smaller models for simple tasks, and shorter prompts. A hybrid approach with cheap models for routing and flagship models for hard tasks cuts costs significantly. See our [AI agent cost optimization guide](/blog/ai-agent-cost-optimization/).
Should I self-host open-source models or use an API?
Use APIs unless you process 70M+ tokens per day. Self-hosting a 70B model on cloud GPUs costs $3,000-5,000/month but delivers ~$0.07 per million tokens at full utilization. Below that volume, APIs are cheaper.
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