What Is the Cheapest LLM API Right Now?
There is no single cheapest LLM API — it depends on your input:output ratio and shifts every time a provider cuts prices or ships a model. This guide shows how to find today's answer for your case.
Cheapest is workload-specific
A model with rock-bottom input but pricey output wins on RAG and loses on content generation. Rank candidates by blended cost on your real mix to find the genuine cheapest, not the one with the lowest sticker rate.
The answer expires quickly
Aggressive competition means the leader changes often. Because our prices are rebuilt daily and new models are onboarded automatically, the comparison reflects current rates instead of a stale snapshot.
Calculators for this topic
Frequently asked questions
Which LLM API is cheapest?+
It depends on your token mix and changes as prices move — rank models by blended cost on your workload using the comparison tools.
Are the cheapest models good enough?+
Often yes for routine tasks; validate quality on a sample before routing important traffic to a budget model.