OpenAI API vs Claude pricing
Compare OpenAI and Anthropic rates on the same workload. The result depends on context, output length and model choice.
Compare one workload
Rates only become comparable when input, output and request count are identical. The calculation below uses the same workload for every model.
- Input per request
- 2,000
- Output per request
- 1,000
- Requests
- 1,000
Current model costs
| Model | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Workload estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI: GPT-6.1 Sol ProOpenai | $2 | $10 | $14 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6.1 SolOpenai | $2 | $10 | $14 |
| Anthropic: Claude Sonnet 5.5Anthropic | $2 | $10 | $14 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna ProOpenai | $0.1 | $0.5 | $0.7 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 LunaOpenai | $0.1 | $0.5 | $0.7 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 Sol ProOpenai | $2 | $10 | $14 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 SolOpenai | $2 | $10 | $14 |
| Anthropic: Claude Opus 5.5Anthropic | $4 | $20 | $28 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 AstraOpenai | $10 | $50 | $70 |
| OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra ProOpenai | $10 | $50 | $70 |
| Anthropic: Claude Fable 5.1Anthropic | $10 | $50 | $70 |
| Anthropic: Claude Opus 5Anthropic | $5 | $25 | $35 |
Estimate uses published token rates. Caching, reasoning tokens, tools, images, routing and taxes can change the final bill.
Which is cheaper: OpenAI API or Claude?
Start with the work unit you can measure: one conversation, document, article or agent run. Record both prompt and response length, then multiply by real monthly volume. Output often costs more than input, so a concise answer can matter more than a short prompt.
Price is only one constraint. Check context length, modalities, tool support, latency and output quality before choosing a production model. Test a small representative sample instead of relying on a single benchmark.