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Chatbot Cost Calculator
Estimate API costs for building conversational AI chatbots. Includes system prompt, conversation history, and user messages.
Typical Token Breakdown
200
System prompt
Instructions defining the chatbot's persona, rules, and capabilities
400
Conversation history
Previous turns in the conversation (avg 3-4 exchanges)
100
User message
Current user input — typically 50-150 tokens
100
Tool definitions
Function/tool schemas if using function calling
Total: ~1,100 tokens per request (800 input + 300 output)
Cost Calculator
Recommended Models
GPT-4o MiniBest Value
Best balance of quality and cost for most chatbot scenarios
$90.00
/month
Claude Haiku 4.5Fastest
Fastest Claude model with excellent instruction following
$690.00
/month
Gemini 2.5 FlashLong Context
1M context window helps with long conversation histories
$297.00
/month
Cost Optimization Tips
⚡Enable prompt caching for system prompts — save up to 90% on repeated tokens
✂️Trim conversation history aggressively — keep only last 3-5 turns
🎯Use GPT-4o Mini or Haiku for 90% of queries, escalate to flagship models only for complex requests
📦Batch non-urgent requests with OpenAI Batch API for 50% discount