All Budget Models Compared
The cheapest AI models from major providers, ranked by input price.
| Model | Provider | Tier | Input (per 1M) | Output (per 1M) | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | Budget | $0.075 | $0.30 | 1M | |
| GPT-oss 20B | OpenAI | Budget | $0.08 | $0.35 | 128K |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | Budget | $0.10 | $0.40 | 1M | |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | DeepSeek | Budget | $0.14 | $0.28 | 1M |
| GPT-oss 120B | OpenAI | Budget | $0.15 | $0.60 | 128K |
| GPT-4o mini | OpenAI | Budget | $0.15 | $0.60 | 128K |
| Llama 3.1 8B | Meta | Budget | $0.10 | $0.10 | 128K |
| GPT-5 mini | OpenAI | Budget | $0.25 | $2.00 | 272K |
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | Anthropic | Budget | $1.00 | $5.00 | 200K |
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Which Should You Choose?
Chatbot / Customer Support
High volume, short responses. Cost per message matters most. Budget models handle most customer queries well.
Code Generation
Complex reasoning, longer outputs. Quality and accuracy matter. Both handle most coding tasks well.
Long Document Analysis
Processing large documents, legal contracts, or codebases. Context window is critical.
High-Volume Data Processing
Classification, extraction, summarization at scale. Budget is tight, volume is high.
Complex Reasoning / Enterprise
Tasks requiring deep reasoning, multi-step logic, or OpenAI ecosystem integration.
Startup MVP / Side Project
Minimize costs while building. Need reliable API at the lowest price point.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite cheaper than GPT-5 mini?
Yes, Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite is significantly cheaper than GPT-5 mini. Gemini Flash costs $0.10/$0.40 per 1M tokens while GPT-5 mini costs $0.25/$2.00. That's 60% cheaper on input and 80% cheaper on output. At 1M tokens/month, Gemini Flash costs $5 vs GPT-5 mini's $22.50 — saving $17.50/month.
Which has a larger context window, GPT-5 mini or Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite?
Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite has a 1M token context window, while GPT-5 mini has a 272K token context window. Gemini Flash supports 3.7x more context, which is critical for long document analysis and large codebases. Combined with its lower price, Gemini Flash offers far more context per dollar.
GPT-5 mini vs Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite for code generation?
Both models handle code generation well. GPT-5 mini at $0.25/$2.00 has been trained extensively on code. Gemini Flash at $0.10/$0.40 is 60% cheaper on input and 80% cheaper on output. For most coding tasks — completion, refactoring, generation — Gemini Flash offers compelling value. GPT-5 mini may have an edge on complex reasoning, but the cost difference makes Gemini Flash the practical choice for high-volume coding workloads.
What is the cheapest AI API model in 2026?
The cheapest models by input price: Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite ($0.075), Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite ($0.10), Llama 3.1 8B ($0.10), DeepSeek V4 Flash ($0.14). For best balance of cost and capability, Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite at $0.10/$0.40 with 1M context is the top budget pick. Use APIpulse's cost calculator to compare all 67 models.
Can I use Gemini Flash for chatbots?
Yes, Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite is excellent for chatbots. At $0.10/$0.40 per 1M tokens, it's one of the cheapest options available. The 1M context window means it can handle long conversation histories. For high-volume customer support where cost per message matters most, Gemini Flash is hard to beat — it costs roughly 1/5th of GPT-5 mini for the same workload.
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