Reasoning Token Cost Calculator
Account for hidden reasoning tokens on o-series and thinking models.
Results update automatically as you type.
- • Reasoning models bill hidden reasoning tokens at the output rate.
- Visible output tokens
- 500 tokens
- Reasoning tokens (billed)
- 2,000 tokens
- Cost with reasoning
- $0.0220
- Reasoning overhead / request
- $0.0160
- Reasoning overhead / month
- $800.00
Reasoning models generate hidden 'thinking' tokens that are billed at the output rate but you never see. Estimate how much that reasoning overhead adds per request and per month.
How this is calculated
This calculator uses the api cost formulas described in our methodology. All figures are estimates for planning; verify current pricing with each provider before relying on them.
Worked example (defaults)
With the default inputs above, here is the result:
- • Reasoning models bill hidden reasoning tokens at the output rate.
- Visible output tokens
- 500 tokens
- Reasoning tokens (billed)
- 2,000 tokens
- Cost with reasoning
- $0.0220
- Reasoning overhead / request
- $0.0160
- Reasoning overhead / month
- $800.00
Frequently asked questions
What are reasoning tokens?+
Internal chain-of-thought tokens that reasoning models produce before the final answer. They're billed as output tokens even though they're hidden.
How many reasoning tokens are typical?+
It varies widely by task — from a few hundred to many thousands. Check your usage dashboard for real numbers.