Solutions
Cheapest AI API
For the lowest price per token across every major model, Somnus gives you 17 models on one OpenAI-compatible key. Usage is billed at list price but every top-up is credited 2× to 2.5×, so DeepSeek V4 Flash — the cheapest option here — effectively costs $0.11 / $0.33 per 1M input/output tokens.
Choosing a cheapest ai api
Price per token is only half the story: the cheapest AI API is the one that finishes your task in the fewest tokens at the lowest rate. Small models win on bulk classification, extraction and routing; big models win when a cheap model would need three retries.
The practical recipe is a ladder. Send every request to the lowest-priced model first, measure failures, and only escalate the hard cases. On Somnus every rung of that ladder lives behind the same key and balance, so escalating is a one-line change.
Cheapest AI API: price ranking
| # | Model | Maker | List (in / out) | Effective with Somnus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeepSeek V4 Flash | DeepSeek | $0.22 / $0.66 | $0.11 / $0.33 |
| 2 | MiMo V2.5 Pro | Xiaomi | $0.44 / $0.87 | $0.22 / $0.44 |
| 3 | DeepSeek V4 Pro | DeepSeek | $0.66 / $1.98 | $0.33 / $0.99 |
| 4 | Gemini 3.8 Flash | $0.75 / $3.75 | $0.38 / $1.88 | |
| 5 | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Anthropic | $1 / $5 | $0.5 / $2.5 |
| 6 | GLM 5.3 | Zhipu | $1.4 / $4.4 | $0.7 / $2.2 |
| 7 | GPT-5.6 Luna | OpenAI | $1 / $6 | $0.5 / $3 |
| 8 | Qwen 3.8 Max | Alibaba | $1.65 / $4.95 | $0.83 / $2.48 |
Ranked by blended price (3 input : 1 output tokens).
Why Somnus for cheapest ai api
- Somnus buys model access in bulk and passes the saving on as extra credit.
- Pay-as-you-go. No monthly caps or throttling — spend your balance however you like.
- $5 free credit on sign-up, no card needed.
- Switch models by changing one string — same key, same balance.
Point the OpenAI SDK at Somnus
import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI({
apiKey: process.env.SOMNUS_API_KEY,
baseURL: "https://gateway-production-c837.up.railway.app/v1",
});
const resp = await client.chat.completions.create({
model: "claude-sonnet-5",
messages: [
{"role": "user", "content": "Cheapest AI API"}
],
});
console.log(resp.choices[0].message.content);Pick the model name from your dashboard.
| Claude Sonnet 5 | GPT-5.6 Sol | |
|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M | $2 | $5 |
| Output / 1M | $10 | $30 |
| This request | $0.0120 | $0.0340 |
| Blended / 1M (3:1) | $4.00 | $11.25 |
Claude Sonnet 5 is 2.8× cheaper for this request.
Questions
What is the cheapest ai api?
Among the lowest price per token across every major model, DeepSeek V4 Flash has the lowest list price on Somnus ($0.22 / $0.66), about $0.11 / $0.33 effective.
Is it really that cheap?
Yes: usage is charged at list price, and each $1 you top up becomes $2–$2.50 of credit.
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