How often does OpenAI change prices?

Roughly 2-3 times per year, almost always downward.

Is the Batch API safe for production?

Yes for non-realtime workloads. 24h max latency, identical quality.

How do I monitor cost?

OpenAI's dashboard is delayed; use TokenAtlas for per-user/per-feature attribution.

OpenAI API Cost Guide — Pricing, Optimization & Forecasting

Pricing by model family

GPT-4o family ($2.50/$10), GPT-4.1 family ($2/$8), GPT-4o-mini ($0.15/$0.60), GPT-3.5-turbo ($0.50/$1.50), fine-tuned variants priced at a premium. Per 1M tokens.

Discounts that actually move the bill

Prompt caching: 50% off cached input. Batch API: 50% off everything, 24h SLA. Scale Tier: predictable throughput at slight discount. Stack them where applicable.

Forecasting your bill

Build three scenarios: today's volume, 3-month projection, year-end. Multiply by token rate. Add 15% buffer for retries, errors, and prompt drift.

Common cost mistakes

Not caching long system prompts. Streaming when batch would work. Using GPT-4o for tasks Haiku handles. Logging full payloads into a model. Each is a 20–80% cost leak.

Frequently asked questions

How often does OpenAI change prices?: Roughly 2-3 times per year, almost always downward.
Is the Batch API safe for production?: Yes for non-realtime workloads. 24h max latency, identical quality.
How do I monitor cost?: OpenAI's dashboard is delayed; use TokenAtlas for per-user/per-feature attribution.

The OpenAI API Cost Guide