Reading your prompt (input) is cheap; generating each new token (output) is computationally expensive, so providers charge more for output — often 3–5× the input rate. Apps that generate long responses therefore cost far more than ones that mostly analyze text.

At October 2026 rates, DeepSeek is by far the cheapest per token, often 10–20× less than the big US labs. Whether it’s the best value depends on quality needs — run the comparison above with your real volumes, then test output quality before switching.

Rates shown are approximate as of October 2026. AI API prices change frequently — providers cut prices, launch new models, and adjust tiers. Always confirm the latest numbers on the official pricing pages before making budget decisions.

Route simple tasks to cheaper models, shorten prompts, cache repeated responses, use batch APIs where available, and cap max output tokens. For many teams, a smart routing strategy cuts bills 50–80% with no quality loss.