Question 1

How do I plan my AI API budget?

Accepted Answer

Estimate your monthly conversations and tokens per conversation. Multiply by the model's price per million tokens. For example, 100 conversations/day with 1K input + 500 output tokens on Gemini Flash costs about $1.50/month. Use the Budget Planner tool to see exact costs for your usage pattern.

Question 2

What is a reasonable AI API budget for a startup?

Accepted Answer

For most startups: $5-15/month for MVP testing (100 conversations/day on budget models). $15-50/month for early traction (500-1000 conversations/day). $50-200/month for growth stage (1000+ conversations/day). Premium models increase these by 5-10x.

Question 3

Can I switch AI models to reduce costs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Most providers use OpenAI-compatible APIs, making model switches easy. Use LiteLLM or LangChain to abstract provider differences. A common strategy: use cheap models (Gemini Flash, DeepSeek) for routine queries and escalate complex ones to premium models.

AI API Budget Planner

Your Usage

Models That Fit Your Budget

Optimization Tip

AI API Budget Planner

Your Usage

Models That Fit Your Budget

Optimization Tip

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