SaaS Pricing Tracker
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OpenAI API vs Vertex AI pricing

OpenAI API is cheaper to start: $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output against $0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027 for Vertex AI. OpenAI API has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2021. Vertex AI has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2025.

OpenAI API pricingVertex AI pricingAdd a third product

OpenAI API vs Vertex AI 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

Vertex AI

Full analysis
Starts at
$0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027Gemini 3.8 Flash, USD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint
Top listed plan
$2 per million input tokens, $12 per million outputGemini 3.1 Pro Preview
Priced by
Usage based
Free plan
Not recorded
Price history
since 2025
Price changes
4

OpenAI API vs Vertex AI 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$120222023202420252026$0.75 Vertex AI Gemini Flash tier, input$0.10 OpenAI API Cheapest model, input
OpenAI API: USD per million tokens, standard processing. Vertex AI: USD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint. Click a legend entry to add or hide a plan. Log scale.
Show the data as a table
ObservedOpenAI API Cheapest model, inputVertex AI Gemini Flash tier, input
Nov 20, 2021$0.80
Nov 3, 2022$0.40
May 2, 2024$0.50
Nov 12, 2024$0.15
Mar 2, 2025$0.15
Jun 6, 2025$0.15
Sep 2, 2025$0.30
Nov 11, 2025$0.05
Mar 1, 2026$0.50
Apr 1, 2026$0.50
Sep 21, 2026$0.20
Oct 3, 2026$0.10$0.75

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

Vertex AIUSD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint

PlanPriceListed since
Gemini Pro tier, input$2was $1.25 in 2025Jun 2025
Gemini Pro tier, output$12was $10 in 2025Jun 2025
Gemini Flash tier, input$0.75was $0.15 in 2025Mar 2025
Gemini Flash tier, output$3.75was $0.60 in 2025Mar 2025

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. Oct 2026Vertex AI raised the Gemini Flash tier input and output prices. Gemini Flash tier, input went from $0.50 to $0.75 (+50%). Gemini Flash tier, output went from $3 to $3.75 (+25%).
  3. 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%).
  4. 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%).
  5. Mar 2026Vertex AI raised the Gemini Flash tier input and output prices. Gemini Flash tier, input went from $0.30 to $0.50 (+67%). Gemini Flash tier, output went from $2.50 to $3 (+20%).
  6. Dec 2025Vertex AI raised the Gemini Pro tier input and output prices. Gemini Pro tier, input went from $1.25 to $2 (+60%). Gemini Pro tier, output went from $10 to $12 (+20%).
  7. 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%).
  8. Sep 2025Vertex AI raised the Gemini Flash tier input and output prices. Gemini Flash tier, input went from $0.15 to $0.30 (+100%). Gemini Flash tier, output went from $0.60 to $2.50 (+317%).
  9. Jun 2025Vertex AI added the Gemini Pro tier input and output plans. Gemini Pro tier, input listed at $1.25. Gemini Pro tier, output listed at $10.
  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. 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%).
  12. 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 Vertex AI pricing questions

Is OpenAI API or Vertex AI cheaper?
OpenAI API starts lower at $0.1 per million input tokens, $0.5 per million output, Vertex AI at $0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027. Prices are as shown on each pricing page when it was last read.
Has OpenAI API or Vertex AI 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%). Vertex AI: Gemini Pro tier, input appeared by Jun 2025 at $1.25. It went up to $2 by Dec 2025 (+60%). Gemini Pro tier, output appeared by Jun 2025 at $10. It went up to $12 by Dec 2025 (+20%). Gemini Flash tier, input has been listed since Mar 2025, starting at $0.15. It went up to $0.30 by Sep 2025 (+100%), then went up to $0.50 by Mar 2026 (+67%), and finally went up to $0.75 by Oct 2026 (+50%). Gemini Flash tier, output has been listed since Mar 2025, starting at $0.60. It went up to $2.50 by Sep 2025 (+317%), then went up to $3 by Mar 2026 (+20%), and finally went up to $3.75 by Oct 2026 (+25%).
How are OpenAI API and Vertex AI priced?
OpenAI API: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard processing. Vertex AI: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint.

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