Self-Hosted vs API Break-Even Calculator
Find the volume where self-hosting beats API pricing.
Results update automatically as you type.
Result
2,325,581 requests/month break-even
Self-host pays off above this volume
- API cost / request
- $0.000645
- GPU host / month
- $1,500.00
- Break-even volume
- 2,325,581 req/mo
Self-hosting an open model has a fixed GPU cost but no per-token fee. Compare it to a hosted API to find the monthly request volume where self-hosting becomes cheaper.
How this is calculated
This calculator uses the infrastructure 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:
Result
2,325,581 requests/month break-even
Self-host pays off above this volume
- API cost / request
- $0.000645
- GPU host / month
- $1,500.00
- Break-even volume
- 2,325,581 req/mo
Frequently asked questions
Does self-hosting really save money?+
Only above a break-even volume, and only if you can keep the GPU busy. Below that, and after adding DevOps time, a hosted API is usually cheaper and simpler.