Use cases
Choosing an AI API for summarization
Summarising is input-heavy: you send a long document and get a short answer back. Input price per million tokens drives the bill.
What summarization needs
- Low input price
- Enough context for the document
- Faithful summaries without invented detail
Models that fit
| Model | Maker | List price (in / out per 1M) | Through Somnus | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | $0.75 / $3.75 | $0.38 / $1.88 | low input price | |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | DeepSeek | $0.22 / $0.66 | $0.11 / $0.33 | lowest input price in the table |
| Claude Sonnet 5 | Anthropic | $2 / $10 | $1 / $5 | nuanced or high-stakes documents |
Somnus column uses the minimum 2× credit; larger top-ups go further.
Cost example
1,000 requests of about 1,500 input and 400 output tokens on DeepSeek V4 Flash cost about $0.59 at list price — roughly $0.30 with Somnus credit.
Tips
- Split very long documents and summarise the summaries.
- Tell the model the target length and audience.
- Use cached input when you summarise the same source repeatedly.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a model on output price when your cost is almost all input.
- Not asking the model to quote or cite, which hides errors.
Example
from openai import OpenAI
import os
client = OpenAI(
api_key=os.environ["SOMNUS_API_KEY"],
base_url="https://gateway-production-c837.up.railway.app/v1",
)
resp = client.chat.completions.create(
model="claude-sonnet-5",
messages=[
{"role": "user", "content": "Summarise this meeting transcript in five bullet points."}
],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)Questions
What is the cheapest model for summarization?
Of the models suggested here, DeepSeek V4 Flash has the lowest list price ($0.22 / $0.66 per 1M tokens). Test it on your own examples before committing.
Can I switch models later?
Yes. With Somnus you change the model name; the rest of the code stays the same.
Run this code with free credit
Create an account and get $5 of free API credit — enough to try every example on this page.
Get $5 free creditRelated
Browse more: Alternatives · Compare · Use cases · Developers · Solutions · Tools