OpenAI
Listed at https://platform.openai.com
💰 Token Pricing
| Type | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Input | GPT-6 Astra: $10/M input + $50/M output (1.05M context, cache $1/$12.50, Fast 2x, Batch 50%); GPT-6.1 Sol: $2/M input + $10/M output Standard (1.05M context); GPT-6.1 Terra: $1/M input + $5/M output Standard, $0.50/$2.50 Batch (1.05M context, >272K input = 2x input / 1.5x output); GPT-5.6 Sol: $4/$20 Standard, $2/$10 Batch (promo through Nov 21, 2026); GPT-5: $1.25/$10, GPT-5 mini: $0.25/$2, GPT-4o: $2.50/$10, GPT-4o mini: $0.15/$0.60 | per million tokens |
| Output | Batch/Flex API for all models: 50% discount; long-context (>272K input): 2x Standard tier; Fast mode: 2x applicable rates; cache writes 1.25x input | per million tokens |
🤖 Supported Models (14)
✨ Pros
- ✓Reference implementation of the OpenAI Chat Completions API; every 'OpenAI-compatible' third-party provider targets parity with this surface.
- ✓GPT-5.6 Sol cut to $4/$20 Standard on August 22, 2026 — promotional through at least November 21, 2026; Batch tier effectively $2/$10.
- ✓GPT-5.6 family has three SKUs (Sol frontier $4/$20, Terra mid $2/$12, Luna efficient $0.20/$1.20) for capability-tiered workloads.
- ✓First-party support for function calling, structured outputs (JSON schema), streaming (SSE), Realtime voice, vision (images + PDFs), and async Batch API at 50% off.
- ✓Chat Completions / Responses / Assistants / Realtime / Images / Audio / Embeddings — seven distinct API surfaces for different workloads.
- ✓Enterprise tier ships SOC 2 Type II + ISO 27001 + HIPAA eligibility + Zero Data Retention + EU data residency + admin SSO + audit log API.
- ✓$5 in free credits for new accounts, valid for 3 months; org-wide rate limits visible in dashboard; per-key usage telemetry on every model.
⚠️ Cons
- ×Higher API costs (o1 series $15-60/M)
- ×China requires proxy for access
- ×Frequent output model updates, occasional API compatibility issues
- ×High token consumption, especially o1 series
- ×No special discounts beyond batch credits
🎯 Best For
Production workloads requiring industry benchmark quality; Function Calling/Structured Output; multimodal applications
💰 Pricing & Plans
| Model | Input ($/M tokens) | Output ($/M tokens) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5 | $1.25 | $10.00 | Complex reasoning, agents |
| GPT-5 mini | $0.25 | $2.00 | Fast general-purpose tasks |
| GPT-4o | $2.50 | $10.00 | Multimodal (text+image+audio) |
| GPT-4o mini | $0.15 | $0.60 | High-volume, lightweight tasks |
| o1 / o3 | $10–$15 | $40–$60 | Advanced chain-of-thought reasoning |
🔧 API & Developer Experience
- •SDK Compatibility: OpenAI's official Python, Node, Go, and Java SDKs are the reference; all 'OpenAI-compatible' third-party providers aim for parity with this API surface.
- •Base URL: https://api.openai.com/v1 — the canonical endpoint that every compatible provider mirrors.
- •Function Calling: First-party support with structured JSON schemas; this is the API that all third-party 'tool use' implementations emulate.
- •Structured Outputs: Native JSON mode + response_format JSON schema enforcement; guarantees schema-conformant output.
- •Streaming & Realtime: Server-Sent Events (SSE) streaming included by default; separate Realtime API for low-latency audio conversations.
- •Batch API: Asynchronous batch processing at 50% discount — submit up to 24h later, ideal for bulk evaluation, embedding, or non-urgent workloads.
- •Vision & Audio: Native multimodal inputs (images, PDFs) on GPT-4o/4o-mini; separate TTS and Whisper STT endpoints.
🏢 Enterprise & Compliance
OpenAI offers enterprise-grade features via its ChatGPT Enterprise / API Enterprise tier: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA eligibility, and a Zero Data Retention option for organizations that require API inputs/outputs to not be stored. Admin consoles provide SSO (SAML/OIDC), granular usage dashboards, per-user cost controls, and an audit log API. OpenAI also offers custom data retention windows (e.g. 30-day default → 0-day opt-out for sensitive workloads), EU data residency for select enterprise tiers, and an indemnification clause for copyright claims on generated outputs. These features sit behind a sales-led Enterprise contract — they are not part of the public self-serve API.
🌐 Regional Availability & Latency
OpenAI's API endpoints (api.openai.com) are not directly reachable from mainland China due to U.S. export control restrictions. Access typically requires a VPN, an overseas server routing, or a third-party aggregator that re-sells OpenAI access (such as FreeModel). Latency from China without optimization is often 500ms-2s, well above the sub-200ms served to North American clients. For production workloads serving China-based users, an aggregator (FreeModel, OpenRouter with caveats) or self-hosted open-source substitute is the standard approach. Direct connection is feasible only from non-China regions; Chinese IPs are blocked at the network edge.
💸 GPT-5.6 Sol Price Cut (August 22, 2026)
| Tier | Input ($/M tokens) | Cached Input | Cache Write | Output ($/M tokens) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (was $5/$30) | $4.00 | $0.40 | $5.00 | $20.00 |
| Batch API (50% off) | $2.00 | $0.20 | $2.50 | $10.00 |
| Flex (50% off, no SLA) | $2.00 | $0.20 | $2.50 | $10.00 |
| Priority (2x cost, low TTFT) | $8.00 | $0.80 | $10.00 | $40.00 |
| Long-context (>272K) | $8.00 | $0.80 | $10.00 | $40.00 |