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OpenAI API vs Perplexity Sonar API pricing

OpenAI API is cheaper to start: $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output against $1 per million input tokens, $1 per million output, plus $5 to $12 per 1,000 requests for Perplexity Sonar API. OpenAI API has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2021. Perplexity Sonar API has not changed its listed prices since 2026.

OpenAI API pricingPerplexity Sonar API pricingAdd a third product

OpenAI API vs Perplexity Sonar API at a glance

Current list prices as last read from each pricing page.

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

Perplexity Sonar API

Full analysis
Starts at
$1 per million input tokens, $1 per million output, plus $5 to $12 per 1,000 requestsSonar, USD per million tokens, before per request fees
Top listed plan
$3 per million input tokens, $15 per million output, plus $6 to $14 per 1,000 requestsSonar Pro
Priced by
Usage based
Free plan
Not recorded
Price history
since 2026
Price changes
none

OpenAI API vs Perplexity Sonar 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$1 Perplexity Sonar API Sonar, input$0.10 OpenAI API Cheapest model, input
OpenAI API: USD per million tokens, standard processing. Perplexity Sonar API: USD per million tokens, before per request fees. Click a legend entry to add or hide a plan. Log scale.
Show the data as a table
ObservedOpenAI API Cheapest model, inputPerplexity Sonar API Sonar, input
Nov 20, 2021$0.80
Nov 3, 2022$0.40
May 2, 2024$0.50
Nov 12, 2024$0.15
Nov 11, 2025$0.05
Sep 21, 2026$0.20$1
Oct 3, 2026$0.10$1

Plans side by side

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

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

Perplexity Sonar APIUSD per million tokens, before per request fees

PlanPriceListed since
Sonar, input$1Sep 2026
Sonar, output$1Sep 2026
Sonar Pro, input$3Sep 2026
Sonar Pro, output$15Sep 2026

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. 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%).
  4. 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%).
  5. 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%).
  6. 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%).
  7. 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%).

OpenAI API vs Perplexity Sonar API pricing questions

Is OpenAI API or Perplexity Sonar API cheaper?
OpenAI API starts lower at $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output, Perplexity Sonar API at $1 per million input tokens, $1 per million output, plus $5 to $12 per 1,000 requests. Prices are as shown on each pricing page when it was last read.
Has OpenAI API or Perplexity Sonar API raised prices?
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%). Perplexity Sonar API has not changed its listed prices since 2026.
How are OpenAI API and Perplexity Sonar API priced?
OpenAI API: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard processing. Perplexity Sonar API: usage based, USD per million tokens, before per request fees.

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