How do I check if I'm overpaying for AI APIs?

Use a free AI API cost audit tool like APIpulse's Cost Report Card. Enter your current model and monthly token usage. The tool instantly compares your costs against all 67 models across 10 providers and gives you a letter grade (A+ to F) based on how efficient your spending is.

What is a good AI API cost efficiency score?

An A or A+ grade means you're spending within 15% of the cheapest viable option — excellent efficiency. A B grade (15-30% overpaying) is typical for teams using mid-tier models. C or below means you're leaving significant money on the table and should consider switching providers or models.

How much can I save by switching AI API providers?

Savings depend on your current model and usage. Developers using GPT-5 or Claude Opus for routine tasks can often save 60-90% by switching to budget models like Gemini Flash or DeepSeek V4 Flash. Even switching from GPT-4o to GPT-5 mini can save 75% with minimal quality impact for common tasks.

Which AI API provider is cheapest in 2026?

For budget workloads, DeepSeek V4 Flash ($0.14/$0.28 per 1M tokens) and GPT-oss 20B at $0.08/$0.35 is the cheapest option depends on your quality requirements and context window needs.

How to Audit Your AI API Costs: A Free Report Card for Developers (2026)

💸 Looking for Sonnet 4.6 Alternatives?

5 models ranked by cost — some are 90% cheaper.

See 5 Sonnet 4.6 Alternatives →

💸 Looking for Opus 4.8 Alternatives?

5 models ranked by cost — some are 98% cheaper.

See 5 Opus 4.8 Alternatives →

🔧 Free Embeddable Pricing Widget

Add live AI API pricing to your docs, blog, or README with one script tag. 67 models, auto-updating.

Get the Free Widget → Free MCP Server →