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Azure OpenAI vs OpenAI API pricing

Both start at $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output, global. Azure OpenAI has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2023. OpenAI API has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2021.

Azure OpenAI pricingOpenAI API pricingAdd a third product

Azure OpenAI vs OpenAI API at a glance

Current list prices as last read from each pricing page.

Azure OpenAI

Full analysis
Starts at
$0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output, globalGPT-6 Luna, USD per million tokens, standard global deployment (regional and Data Zone before global existed)
Top listed plan
$10 per million input tokens, $50 per million output, globalGPT-6 Astra
Priced by
Usage based
Free plan
Not recorded
Price history
since 2023
Price changes
4

OpenAI API

Full analysis
Starts at
$0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million outputgpt-6-luna, USD per million tokens, standard processing
Top listed plan
$10 per million input tokens, $50 per million outputgpt-6-astra
Priced by
Usage based
Free plan
Not recorded
Price history
since 2021
Price changes
4

Azure OpenAI vs OpenAI API price history

Both histories on one chart. The default line is each product's cheapest paid plan.

$0.02$0.05$0.10$0.20$0.50$1$220222023202420252026$0.10 Azure OpenAI Cheapest model, input$0.10 OpenAI API Cheapest model, input
Azure OpenAI: USD per million tokens, standard global deployment (regional and Data Zone before global existed). OpenAI API: USD per million tokens, standard processing. Click a legend entry to add or hide a plan. Log scale.
Show the data as a table
ObservedAzure OpenAI Cheapest model, inputOpenAI API Cheapest model, input
Nov 20, 2021$0.80
Nov 3, 2022$0.40
Oct 20, 2023$1.50
Jan 5, 2024$1
May 2, 2024$0.50
May 19, 2024$0.50
Aug 1, 2024$0.15
Nov 12, 2024$0.15
Aug 1, 2025$0.05
Nov 1, 2025$0.05
Nov 11, 2025$0.05
Aug 1, 2026$0.20
Sep 1, 2026$0.10
Sep 21, 2026$0.20
Oct 3, 2026$0.10$0.10

Plans side by side

Every plan currently listed, with the price it started at where we have it.

Azure OpenAIUSD per million tokens, standard global deployment (regional and Data Zone before global existed)

PlanPriceListed since
Flagship model, input$10was $30 in 2023Oct 2023
Flagship model, output$50was $60 in 2023Oct 2023
Cheapest model, input$0.10was $1.50 in 2023Oct 2023
Cheapest model, output$0.50was $2 in 2023Oct 2023

OpenAI APIUSD per million tokens, standard processing

PlanPriceListed since
Flagship model, input$10was $60 in 2021Nov 2021
Flagship model, output$50was $60 in 2021Nov 2021
Cheapest model, input$0.10was $0.80 in 2021Nov 2021
Cheapest model, output$0.50was $0.80 in 2021Nov 2021

What changed, and when

Every dated price move we have on record for either product, newest first.

  1. Oct 2026OpenAI API cut the Cheapest model input and output prices. Cheapest model, input went from $0.20 to $0.10 (-50%). Cheapest model, output went from $1.20 to $0.50 (-58%).
  2. Sep 2026OpenAI API raised the Flagship model input and output and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $5 to $10 (+100%). Flagship model, output went from $30 to $50 (+67%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.05 to $0.20 (+300%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.40 to $1.20 (+200%).
  3. Sep 2026Azure OpenAI changed its plans and prices. Flagship model, input went from $5 to $10 (+100%). Flagship model, output went from $30 to $50 (+67%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.20 to $0.10 (-50%). Cheapest model, output went from $1.20 to $0.50 (-58%).
  4. Aug 2026Azure OpenAI raised the Cheapest model input and output prices. Cheapest model, input went from $0.05 to $0.20 (+300%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.40 to $1.20 (+200%).
  5. May 2026OpenAI API raised the Flagship model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $1.25 to $5 (+300%). Flagship model, output went from $10 to $30 (+200%).
  6. May 2026Azure OpenAI raised the Flagship model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $1.75 to $5 (+186%). Flagship model, output went from $14 to $30 (+114%).
  7. Dec 2025Azure OpenAI raised the Flagship model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $1.25 to $1.75 (+40%). Flagship model, output went from $10 to $14 (+40%).
  8. Nov 2025OpenAI API cut the Flagship model input and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $2.50 to $1.25 (-50%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.15 to $0.05 (-67%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.60 to $0.40 (-33%).
  9. Aug 2025Azure OpenAI cut the Flagship model input and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $2.50 to $1.25 (-50%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.15 to $0.05 (-67%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.60 to $0.40 (-33%).
  10. Nov 2024OpenAI API cut the Flagship model input and output and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $10 to $2.50 (-75%). Flagship model, output went from $30 to $10 (-67%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.50 to $0.15 (-70%). Cheapest model, output went from $1.50 to $0.60 (-60%).
  11. Nov 2024Azure OpenAI cut the Flagship model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $5 to $2.50 (-50%). Flagship model, output went from $15 to $10 (-33%).
  12. Aug 2024Azure OpenAI cut the Flagship model input and output and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $10 to $5 (-50%). Flagship model, output went from $30 to $15 (-50%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.50 to $0.15 (-70%). Cheapest model, output went from $1.50 to $0.60 (-60%).
  13. May 2024Azure OpenAI cut the Cheapest model input and output prices. Cheapest model, input went from $1 to $0.50 (-50%). Cheapest model, output went from $2 to $1.50 (-25%).
  14. May 2024OpenAI API changed its plans and prices. Flagship model, input went from $20 to $10 (-50%). Flagship model, output went from $20 to $30 (+50%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.40 to $0.50 (+25%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.40 to $1.50 (+275%).
  15. Jan 2024Azure OpenAI cut the Flagship model input and output and Cheapest model input prices. Flagship model, input went from $30 to $10 (-67%). Flagship model, output went from $60 to $30 (-50%). Cheapest model, input went from $1.50 to $1 (-33%).
  16. Nov 2022OpenAI API cut the Flagship model input and output and Cheapest model input and output prices. Flagship model, input went from $60 to $20 (-67%). Flagship model, output went from $60 to $20 (-67%). Cheapest model, input went from $0.80 to $0.40 (-50%). Cheapest model, output went from $0.80 to $0.40 (-50%).

Azure OpenAI vs OpenAI API pricing questions

Is Azure OpenAI or OpenAI API cheaper?
Both start at $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output, global. Azure OpenAI's top listed plan is GPT-6 Astra at $10 per million input tokens, $50 per million output, global, OpenAI API's top listed plan is gpt-6-astra at $10 per million input tokens, $50 per million output.
Has Azure OpenAI or OpenAI API raised prices?
Azure OpenAI: Flagship model, input has been listed since Oct 2023, starting at $30. It came down to $10 by Jan 2024 (-67%), then came down to $5 by Aug 2024 (-50%), then came down to $2.50 by Nov 2024 (-50%), then came down to $1.25 by Aug 2025 (-50%), then went up to $1.75 by Dec 2025 (+40%), then went up to $5 by May 2026 (+186%), and finally went up to $10 by Sep 2026 (+100%). Flagship model, output has been listed since Oct 2023, starting at $60. It came down to $30 by Jan 2024 (-50%), then came down to $15 by Aug 2024 (-50%), then came down to $10 by Nov 2024 (-33%), then went up to $14 by Dec 2025 (+40%), then went up to $30 by May 2026 (+114%), and finally went up to $50 by Sep 2026 (+67%). Cheapest model, input has been listed since Oct 2023, starting at $1.50. It came down to $1 by Jan 2024 (-33%), then came down to $0.50 by May 2024 (-50%), then came down to $0.15 by Aug 2024 (-70%), then came down to $0.05 by Aug 2025 (-67%), then went up to $0.20 by Aug 2026 (+300%), and finally came down to $0.10 by Sep 2026 (-50%). Cheapest model, output has been listed since Oct 2023, starting at $2. It came down to $1.50 by May 2024 (-25%), then came down to $0.60 by Aug 2024 (-60%), then came down to $0.40 by Aug 2025 (-33%), then went up to $1.20 by Aug 2026 (+200%), and finally came down to $0.50 by Sep 2026 (-58%). OpenAI API: Flagship model, input has been listed since Nov 2021, starting at $60. It came down to $20 by Nov 2022 (-67%), then came down to $10 by May 2024 (-50%), then came down to $2.50 by Nov 2024 (-75%), then came down to $1.25 by Nov 2025 (-50%), then went up to $5 by May 2026 (+300%), and finally went up to $10 by Sep 2026 (+100%). Flagship model, output has been listed since Nov 2021, starting at $60. It came down to $20 by Nov 2022 (-67%), then went up to $30 by May 2024 (+50%), then came down to $10 by Nov 2024 (-67%), then went up to $30 by May 2026 (+200%), and finally went up to $50 by Sep 2026 (+67%). Cheapest model, input has been listed since Nov 2021, starting at $0.80. It came down to $0.40 by Nov 2022 (-50%), then went up to $0.50 by May 2024 (+25%), then came down to $0.15 by Nov 2024 (-70%), then came down to $0.05 by Nov 2025 (-67%), then went up to $0.20 by Sep 2026 (+300%), and finally came down to $0.10 by Oct 2026 (-50%). Cheapest model, output has been listed since Nov 2021, starting at $0.80. It came down to $0.40 by Nov 2022 (-50%), then went up to $1.50 by May 2024 (+275%), then came down to $0.60 by Nov 2024 (-60%), then came down to $0.40 by Nov 2025 (-33%), then went up to $1.20 by Sep 2026 (+200%), and finally came down to $0.50 by Oct 2026 (-58%).
How are Azure OpenAI and OpenAI API priced?
Azure OpenAI: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard global deployment (regional and Data Zone before global existed). OpenAI API: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard processing.

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