API or subscription: which is cheaper for you?
Price your own usage per token and compare it with ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI, Grok and Perplexity plans. Providers don’t publish plan allowances in tokens, so the calculator shows where the API stops being cheaper, not whether a plan’s limits will cover you.
Your usage
Per message, including earlier turns resent each time.
Per message.
Your usage per month
3.17M
2.64M in · 528K out
Through the API
$8.18
Claude Sonnet 5
A $20 plan is cheaper above
98 msgs/day
at this message size
Plans compared with your usage
| Plan | Price | Same usage via API | Cheaper for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT GoAPI equivalent: GPT-5.6 Luna | $8.00 | $0.92 | API, by $7.08 |
| ChatGPT PlusAPI equivalent: GPT-5.6 Sol | $20.00 | $16.37 | API, by $3.63 |
| ChatGPT Pro 5xAPI equivalent: GPT-6 Astra | $100 | $40.92 | API, by $59.08 |
| ChatGPT Pro 20xAPI equivalent: GPT-6 Astra | $200 | $40.92 | API, by $159 |
| Claude ProAPI equivalent: Claude Sonnet 5 | $20.00 | $8.18 | API, by $11.82 |
| Claude Max 5xAPI equivalent: Claude Opus 5.5 | $100 | $16.10 | API, by $83.90 |
| Claude Max 20xAPI equivalent: Claude Opus 5.5 | $200 | $16.10 | API, by $184 |
| Google AI PlusAPI equivalent: Gemini 3.1 Pro | $4.99 | $9.24 | Plan, by $4.25 |
| Google AI ProAPI equivalent: Gemini 3.1 Pro | $19.99 | $9.24 | API, by $10.75 |
| Google AI Ultra 5xAPI equivalent: Gemini 3.1 Pro | $99.99 | $9.24 | API, by $90.75 |
| Google AI Ultra 20xAPI equivalent: Gemini 3.1 Pro | $200 | $9.24 | API, by $191 |
| SuperGrokAPI equivalent: Grok 4.6 | $30.00 | $6.47 | API, by $23.53 |
| SuperGrok PlusAPI equivalent: Grok 4.6 | $100 | $6.47 | API, by $93.53 |
| Perplexity ProAPI equivalent: GPT-6 Sol | $20.00 | $8.18 | API, by $11.82 |
| Perplexity MaxAPI equivalent: GPT-6 Sol | $200 | $8.18 | API, by $192 |
“Same usage via API” prices your usage on the model each plan mainly offers. A plan only wins if its limits cover your usage; see the published limits below.
Chat plans and their published limits
| Plan | Monthly | Models | Published limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Go | $8.00 | GPT-5.6 Luna; may show ads | "More" of each tool than Free; no numbers published Source |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20.00 | GPT-5.6 Sol in chat; GPT-6 models in Work and Codex | Codex: GPT-6 Sol 15–150 local messages per 5 hours Source |
| ChatGPT Pro 5x | $100 | Adds GPT-6 Pro and GPT-5.6 Sol Pro | 5× Plus; GPT-6 Pro 50 messages a week Source |
| ChatGPT Pro 20x | $200 | Same as Pro 5x | 20× Plus; GPT-6 Pro 200 a week. New sign-ups paused since 10 Sep 2026 Source |
| Claude Pro | $20.00$200/yr | Sonnet, Haiku and Opus; Fable only through paid usage credits | At least 5× Free per 5-hour session, plus a weekly cap. Includes Claude Code Source |
| Claude Max 5x | $100 | Adds Fable (up to 50% of the weekly limit) | 5× Pro per session, plus a weekly cap. Includes Claude Code Source |
| Claude Max 20x | $200 | Same as Max 5x | 20× Pro per session, plus a weekly cap. Includes Claude Code Source |
| Google AI Plus | $4.99 | Gemini 3.1 Pro | 2× Free; 128K context Source |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 | Gemini 3.1 Pro; Jules; Antigravity | 4× Free; 1M context; limits refresh every 5 hours up to a weekly cap Source |
| Google AI Ultra 5x | $99.99 | Adds Deep Think and Gemini Spark | 5× AI Pro Source |
| Google AI Ultra 20x | $200 | Same as Ultra 5x | 20× AI Pro Source |
| SuperGrok | $30.00 | Grok 4.6 | No numbers published Source |
| SuperGrok Plus | $100 | Grok 4.6 and higher limits | No numbers published Source |
| Perplexity Pro | $20.00$204/yr | GPT-6 Sol, Claude Sonnet 5, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Grok 4.7, Kimi K3, GLM-5.3 | Relative only; includes 4,000 bonus Computer credits Source |
| Perplexity Max | $200$2,004/yr | Same models, higher limits | 10,000 credits a month plus 35,000 bonus Source |
US dollar list prices seen on 27 Sep 2026. India: Google AI Plus ₹399, Pro ₹1,950, Ultra ₹6,500 or ₹19,500; Cursor Start ₹649 including tax (Cursor's own models only). Claude has no rupee pricing; Indian customers pay the US dollar prices. Brazil (before tax): Claude Pro R$110, Max R$550 or R$1,100; Google AI Pro R$96.99. Germany (before 19% VAT): Claude Pro €18, Max €90 or €180; Google AI Pro €21.99.
AI coding tools
| Tool | Price | What’s included | Beyond the allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Included with Claude Pro ($20), Max ($100 / $200), Team and Enterprise | Shares the plan's 5-hour and weekly usage pool with chat | Usage credits at API rates, or an API key billed per token. Anthropic puts the enterprise average at about $13 per developer per active day Source |
| OpenAI Codex | Included with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus ($20), Pro ($100 / $200) and Business | Plus: GPT-6 Sol 15–150 local messages per 5 hours; Pro 5× or 20× that | Credits valid 12 months, or an API key billed at API rates Source |
| Cursor | Hobby free; Pro $20; Pro+ $60; Ultra $200 (20% off yearly) | Two usage pools: Cursor's own models (larger allowance) and other models. Pro+ is 3× Pro, Ultra 20× | On-demand usage at API rates, billed in arrears Source |
| GitHub Copilot | Free; Pro $10; Pro+ $39; Max $100; Business $19 and Enterprise $39 per seat | Token-metered AI Credits since 1 June 2026 (1 credit = $0.01): Pro 1,000 + 500 flex, Pro+ 3,900 + 3,100, Max 10,000 + 10,000. Code completions don't use credits | Set a budget; extra credits at $0.01 each Source |
| Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Free; Pro $20; Max $200; Teams $80 plus $40 per seat | Daily and weekly quotas (not quantified) | Extra usage at API prices Source |
| JetBrains AI | Pro $10; Ultimate $30; Enterprise $60 per user | 10 or 35 credits per 30 days; includes Junie, Claude Agent and Codex | Top-ups at $1 per credit Source |
| Google Antigravity and Jules | Free; higher limits with Google AI Pro ($19.99) or Ultra | Jules: 15, 100 or 300 tasks a day on Free, Pro and Ultra | Pro and Ultra get a flexible AI credit pool Source |