Is Perplexity Sonar API or Vertex AI cheaper?

Vertex AI starts lower at $0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027, 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 Perplexity Sonar API or Vertex AI raised prices?

Perplexity Sonar API has not changed its listed prices since 2026. 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 Perplexity Sonar API and Vertex AI priced?

Perplexity Sonar API: usage based, USD per million tokens, before per request fees. Vertex AI: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint.

Perplexity Sonar API vs Vertex AI pricing

Vertex AI is cheaper to start: $0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027 against $1 per million input tokens, $1 per million output, plus $5 to $12 per 1,000 requests for Perplexity Sonar API. Perplexity Sonar API has not changed its listed prices since 2026. Vertex AI has changed its listed prices 4 times since 2025.

Perplexity Sonar API pricing

Vertex AI pricing Add a third product

Perplexity Sonar API vs Vertex AI at a glance

Current list prices as last read from each pricing page.

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

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

Perplexity Sonar API vs Vertex AI price history

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

Perplexity Sonar API: USD per million tokens, before per request fees. 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

Observed	Perplexity Sonar API Sonar, input	Vertex AI Gemini Flash tier, input
Mar 2, 2025		$0.15
Jun 6, 2025		$0.15
Sep 2, 2025		$0.30
Mar 1, 2026		$0.50
Apr 1, 2026		$0.50
Sep 21, 2026	$1
Oct 3, 2026	$1	$0.75

Plans side by side

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

Perplexity Sonar APIUSD per million tokens, before per request fees

Plan	Price	Listed since
Sonar, input	$1	Sep 2026
Sonar, output	$1	Sep 2026
Sonar Pro, input	$3	Sep 2026
Sonar Pro, output	$15	Sep 2026

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

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

What changed, and when

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

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%).
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%).
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%).
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%).
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.

Perplexity Sonar API vs Vertex AI pricing questions

Is Perplexity Sonar API or Vertex AI cheaper?: Vertex AI starts lower at $0.75 per million input tokens, $3.75 per million output, introductory until 2027, 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 Perplexity Sonar API or Vertex AI raised prices?: Perplexity Sonar API has not changed its listed prices since 2026. 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 Perplexity Sonar API and Vertex AI priced?: Perplexity Sonar API: usage based, USD per million tokens, before per request fees. Vertex AI: usage based, USD per million tokens, standard tier, prompts up to 200K tokens, global endpoint.