When integrating the ChatGPT API into your applications, understanding the cost structure is crucial for managing your expenses effectively. OpenAI charges for the API usage based on the number of tokens processed for both input and output. This article will explain the difference between input and output costs and provide examples to illustrate how these costs are calculated.
Input and Output Tokens
In the context of the ChatGPT API, input tokens refer to the tokens that are part of the prompts you send to the API (the instructions you give it). On the other hand, output tokens refer to the tokens in the responses generated by the API (the answer). OpenAI charges different rates for input and output tokens, which are essential to consider when estimating the costs of using the API.
Cost Structure
The cost for using the ChatGPT API is measured in tokens. Understanding how tokens convert to actual costs based in inputs and outputs can be calculated, but here are some actual examples of inputs and outputs with the cost shown for 1000 prompts – which means what it would cost you if you to run this prompt 1000 times. OpenAI also charges different rates for their different models. The cost calculations in the table that follows is based on their most recent model, GTP-4o. Their previous, and still most advanced model, GTP-4, costs around 5 times more than the GTP-40 model.
| Input | Output | Cost per 1000 prompts | Characters Input | Characters Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Translate this text into Mexican Spanish: Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in low light conditions. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for capturing memories in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see the world through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | ¡Captura los momentos de la vida con la Cámara Digital ZoomX Pro! Esta cámara de última generación cuenta con un sensor CMOS de 24.2 megapíxeles para imágenes increíblemente detalladas y grabación de video en 4K UHD. Con su pantalla táctil LCD de 3 pulgadas, controles intuitivos y Wi-Fi y Bluetooth integrados, compartir tus aventuras nunca ha sido tan fácil. El avanzado sistema de enfoque automático del ZoomX Pro garantiza fotos nítidas y vibrantes, incluso en condiciones de poca luz. Ya seas un fotógrafo profesional o un aficionado apasionado, el ZoomX Pro es tu compañero perfecto para capturar recuerdos con una claridad y color excepcionales. Abraza la creatividad con modos de disparo versátiles y un diseño ergonómico y duradero. ¡Prepárate para ver el mundo a través de una nueva lente con la Cámara Digital ZoomX Pro! | $3.58 | 787 | 831 |
| Rewrite this description to personalize it for someone who lives in New York by making some reference to a famous feature in New York they might use this camera for: Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in low light conditions. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for capturing memories in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see the world through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera, and bring the magic of New York City to life! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. Imagine photographing the breathtaking skyline from the top of the Empire State Building or capturing the vibrant energy of Times Square at night. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your NYC adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in the city’s low-light scenes. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for immortalizing New York’s iconic moments in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see New York through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | $3.775 | 911 | 969 |
| Create a bullet list of features for this product: Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in low light conditions. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for capturing memories in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see the world through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | – 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for detailed images – 4K UHD video recording capability – 3-inch LCD touchscreen for easy navigation – Intuitive controls for a user-friendly experience – Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for seamless sharing – Advanced autofocus system for sharp, vibrant photos in low light – Suitable for both professional photographers and hobbyists – Versatile shooting modes to enhance creativity – Durable and ergonomic design for comfortable use – Perfect for capturing memories with exceptional clarity and color | $2.41 | 796 | 538 |
| Extract just the name of the product from this text: Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in low light conditions. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for capturing memories in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see the world through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | ZoomX Pro Digital Camera | $0.915 | 798 | 24 |
| Make this text shorter: Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! This cutting-edge camera features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor for stunningly detailed images and 4K UHD video recording. With its 3-inch LCD touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sharing your adventures has never been easier. The ZoomX Pro’s advanced autofocus system ensures sharp, vibrant photos, even in low light conditions. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a passionate hobbyist, the ZoomX Pro is your perfect companion for capturing memories in exceptional clarity and color. Embrace creativity with versatile shooting modes and a durable, ergonomic design. Get ready to see the world through a new lens with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! | Capture life’s moments with the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera! Featuring a 24.2-megapixel sensor and 4K UHD video, it offers stunning details and vibrant photos even in low light. The 3-inch touchscreen, intuitive controls, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make sharing easy. Perfect for both professionals and hobbyists, it includes versatile shooting modes and a durable design. Embrace creativity and see the world anew with the ZoomX Pro! | $2.19 | 769 | 437 |
| Assign the correct expense category for the following expense, choosing from the following categories: Salaries and Wages Expense, Rent Expense, Utilities Expense, Supplies Expense, Depreciation Expense, Insurance Expense, Advertising and Marketing Expense, Travel and Entertainment Expense, Office Expenses, Repairs and Maintenance Expense, Telephone and Internet Expense, Interest Expense, Professional Fees Expense, Training and Development Expense, Taxes and Licenses Expense. Your answer should be the expense category only. The expense is: Sheraton Hotel New York, Transaction 457892-0 | Travel and Entertainment Expense | $0.66 | 593 | 32 |
| Extract just the State from the following company information, giving it in its full spelling, not an abbreviation. Your answer should just be the state: ABC Solutions Inc., 123 Maple Street, Springfield, IL 62701, Phone: (555) 123-4567 | Illinois | $0.355 | 237 | 8 |
| Analyse this customer feedback and tell me whether it is positive or negative. Your answer should only be the word positive, or negative: I recently bought the ZoomX Pro Digital Camera and I’m quite disappointed. The autofocus struggles in low light, resulting in blurry photos. The 3-inch LCD touchscreen is unresponsive, requiring multiple taps. The battery life is poor, barely lasting a day. Additionally, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are unreliable, making photo transfers a hassle. Given the high price, I expected better performance. I regret buying this camera and would recommend looking at other options. | negative | $0.665 | 623 | 8 |
Combining Operations to Save Costs
When working with the ChatGPT API, combining operations into a single request can save on input costs. For example, if you need to extract two pieces of information from the same text, you can request both pieces of information in a single API call (command). This approach reduces the number of tokens processed as input, although the total output cost will remain similar.
Consider this example:
Task: Extract the product name and the state from the following text:
“ABC Solutions Inc., 123 Maple Street, Springfield, IL 62701, Phone: (555) 123-4567, Product: ZoomX Pro Digital Camera”
Instead of making two separate API calls, you can combine the requests as follows:
“Extract the product name and the state from the following text, separated by a semi-colon: ABC Solutions Inc., 123 Maple Street, Springfield, IL 62701, Phone: (555) 123-4567, Product: ZoomX Pro Digital Camera”
The response might be: “ZoomX Pro Digital Camera; Illinois”.
Conclusion
Understanding the cost structure of the ChatGPT API is essential for optimizing your usage and managing expenses effectively. By being mindful of the input and output token costs and exploring ways to combine operations, you can make the most of the API while keeping costs under control.
These examples provide a clear illustration of how different types of requests can vary in cost and highlight the importance of efficient API usage. Always consider the length of both the input and output when estimating your costs, and look for opportunities to combine tasks to reduce input costs.
For more detailed information on pricing and to start using the ChatGPT API, visit the OpenAI API documentation.
If you have a large quantity of entries to process or fix, like the examples above, we have a flexible Excel sheet you can purchase to run 1000’s of prompts at a time, at a very low cost, considering what it would cost to do this manually. We also provide a service where we undertake the work for you, so all you have to do is provide your data, tell us what needs fixing, and we’ll do it. Check out our services page for more information.