Which LLM model is cheapest?

For simple tasks, Gemini Flash and GPT-4o Mini are the cheapest options at $0.075-0.15 per million input tokens. For complex tasks requiring high quality, Claude Sonnet offers the best quality-to-cost ratio.

How do I calculate my cost per task?

Cost = (input tokens × input price) + (output tokens × output price). ClawHQ calculates this automatically for every task. A typical agent task costs $0.001 to $0.50 depending on model and complexity.

Do prices change frequently?

Yes. LLM providers adjust pricing every few months, usually downward. ClawHQ keeps its pricing tables updated automatically.

Should I always use the cheapest model?

No. Use the cheapest model that meets your quality requirements. A $0.001 task that fails 50% of the time is more expensive than a $0.01 task that succeeds 98% of the time.

AI Model Pricing Comparison 2026: GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and More

The AI Model Pricing Landscape in 2026

LLM pricing is a moving target. Providers continuously release new models, adjust pricing, and offer volume discounts. Choosing the right model for each task is one of the most impactful cost decisions you'll make.

This guide compares pricing across all major providers as of early 2026. For real-time cost tracking of your actual usage, use ClawHQ.

Pricing Tiers Overview

LLM models fall into three rough pricing tiers:

Budget Tier ($0.05-0.30 per 1M input tokens)

GPT-4o Mini: $0.15/1M input, $0.60/1M output
Claude 3.5 Haiku: $0.25/1M input, $1.25/1M output
Gemini 2.0 Flash: $0.075/1M input, $0.30/1M output

Best for: Classification, extraction, formatting, simple Q&A, routing

Mid Tier ($1-5 per 1M input tokens)

GPT-4o: $2.50/1M input, $10/1M output
Claude 3.5 Sonnet: $3/1M input, $15/1M output
Gemini 1.5 Pro: $1.25/1M input, $5/1M output

Best for: Summarization, content drafting, analysis, moderate reasoning

Premium Tier ($10-30 per 1M input tokens)

GPT-4 Turbo: $10/1M input, $30/1M output
Claude 3 Opus: $15/1M input, $75/1M output
Gemini Ultra: $12.50/1M input, $37.50/1M output

Best for: Complex reasoning, creative writing, coding, multi-step analysis

Cost Per Task Benchmarks

Based on ClawHQ data from real production workloads:

Simple Tasks (classification, routing, extraction)

Budget model: $0.001-0.005 per task
Mid model: $0.01-0.05 per task
Premium model: $0.05-0.20 per task

Medium Tasks (summarization, Q&A, drafting)

Budget model: $0.005-0.02 per task
Mid model: $0.02-0.15 per task
Premium model: $0.10-0.50 per task

Complex Tasks (reasoning, coding, creative writing)

Mid model: $0.05-0.30 per task
Premium model: $0.20-1.50 per task

The Hidden Costs

Raw token pricing doesn't tell the whole story:

Retry costs: A cheaper model that fails more often can cost more than a reliable expensive model
Context window usage: Long conversations accumulate tokens fast
Output verbosity: Some models are wordier than others — more output tokens = higher cost
Batch vs. real-time: Most providers offer 50% discounts for batch/async processing

Model Selection Strategy

Use ClawHQ's model optimization feature to:

See which models you're currently using for each task type
Compare actual cost per task across models
Identify tasks where a cheaper model maintains quality
Track quality metrics alongside cost to ensure optimization doesn't hurt output

Price Trend: It's Getting Cheaper

LLM prices have dropped roughly 10x since 2023 and continue to decline. The models that cost $30/1M tokens in 2024 now have equivalents at $3/1M. This trend means:

Tasks that were too expensive to automate are becoming viable
The ROI of AI agents is improving every quarter
Cost optimization today saves money; cost optimization tomorrow saves even more

Track your costs with ClawHQ and revisit model selection quarterly as prices change.

See ClawHQ Pricing →

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