OpenAI vs Claude: API Cost Comparison
Compare OpenAI and Claude on the same workload and see which is cheaper.
Shared workload
Cost comparison
Side-by-side metrics
| Metric | OpenAI | Claude |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $62,500.00 | $105,000.00 |
| Yearly cost | $750,000.00 | $1,260,000.00 |
| Daily cost | $2,083.33 | $3,500.00 |
| Yearly saving | $510,000.00 saved | — |
OpenAI
Cost breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Input tokens | $10,000.00 | $120,000.00 |
| Output tokens | $5,000.00 | $60,000.00 |
| Spend | $62,500.00 | $750,000.00 |
Comparison
| Option | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI GPT-5currentcheapest | $62,500.00 | $750,000.00 |
| Claude Claude Sonnet 4.6 | $105,000.00 | $1,260,000.00 |
| Gemini Gemini 2.5 Pro | $62,500.00 | $750,000.00 |
Data updated 2026-06-30 · openai.com/api/pricing openai.com/api/pricing · platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing · ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
Industry Benchmark
Data updated 2026-06-30 · openai.com/api/pricing openai.com/api/pricing · platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing · ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
Claude
Cost breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Input tokens | $10,000.00 | $120,000.00 |
| Output tokens | $5,000.00 | $60,000.00 |
| Spend | $105,000.00 | $1,260,000.00 |
Comparison
| Option | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI GPT-5cheapest | $62,500.00 | $750,000.00 |
| Claude Claude Sonnet 4.6current | $105,000.00 | $1,260,000.00 |
| Gemini Gemini 2.5 Pro | $62,500.00 | $750,000.00 |
Data updated 2026-06-30 · openai.com/api/pricing openai.com/api/pricing · platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing · ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
Industry Benchmark
Data updated 2026-06-30 · openai.com/api/pricing openai.com/api/pricing · platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing platform.claude.com/docs/about-claude/pricing · ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
Pricing model differences
OpenAI and Claude price input and output tokens at different rates and offer different caching and batch discounts. For output-heavy workloads the output token price dominates; for context-heavy workloads, cached-input pricing matters most.
When to choose each
Pick the provider whose pricing best fits your token ratio and volume. Use the shared input above to model your real workload, then check the cheaper option and the annual saving before committing.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, OpenAI or Claude?▾
It depends on your token mix and volume. Enter your workload above — the calculator computes both and shows the cheaper option with the exact yearly saving.
How do the pricing models differ?▾
Each provider prices input and output tokens differently and offers different cached-input and batch discounts. The side-by-side breakdown makes the difference explicit.
Is this based on official pricing?▾
It uses comparable-tier placeholder pricing from a versioned JSON config. Verify against each provider's official price page; the footer shows the data version.