Cache read
90% discount on input tokens. A Sonnet 4.6 cache read costs $0.30/M instead of $3.00/M through RunAPI.
LLM API Pricing
Claude API Pricing in 2026
Anthropic charges $3–$15 per million tokens depending on model. RunAPI mirrors every Claude model at half the official rate — same API, same output, 50% less on your invoice.
Updated June 18, 2026
RunAPI Editorial
At a glance
What does the Claude API cost right now?
Anthropic publishes per-token prices for three model tiers: Haiku for lightweight tasks, Sonnet for balanced workloads, and Opus for maximum capability. All prices below are per million tokens, the billing unit Anthropic uses.
Cheapest option
Haiku 4.5 at $1/M input and $5/M output through RunAPI. Official rate is $2/$10.
Most popular
Sonnet 4.6 at $3/M input and $15/M output through RunAPI. Official rate is $6/$30.
Maximum capability
Opus 4.7 at $5/M input and $25/M output through RunAPI. Official rate is $10/$50.
Cache discount
Cache reads cost 90% less than standard input tokens — $0.10/M for Haiku through RunAPI.
Model-by-model breakdown
How much does each Claude model cost per million tokens?
The table below shows official Anthropic pricing alongside RunAPI pricing. RunAPI applies a flat 50% discount across all Claude models. No volume commits, no subscriptions.
| Model | Official input /M | Official output /M | RunAPI input /M | RunAPI output /M | Context window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opus 4.8 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $7.50 | $37.50 | 200K |
| Opus 4.7 | $10.00 | $50.00 | $5.00 | $25.00 | 200K |
| Opus 4.6 | $10.00 | $50.00 | $5.00 | $25.00 | 200K |
| Sonnet 4.6 | $6.00 | $30.00 | $3.00 | $15.00 | 200K |
| Sonnet 4.5 | $6.00 | $30.00 | $3.00 | $15.00 | 200K |
| Haiku 4.5 | $2.00 | $10.00 | $1.00 | $5.00 | 200K |
Prompt caching
How do cache discounts reduce your Claude API bill?
Anthropic's prompt caching stores repeated prefixes and charges less when the cached version is reused. This matters for coding agents like Claude Code, which send the same system prompt and file context on every request.
Cache write (5 min TTL)
25% surcharge on input — $3.75/M for Sonnet 4.6 through RunAPI. The cached prefix stays available for 5 minutes.
Cache write (1 hour TTL)
2x the input rate — $6.00/M for Sonnet 4.6 through RunAPI. Useful for long coding sessions where context reuse is frequent.
Batch processing
Anthropic offers a 50% discount on all models for batch requests that tolerate up to 24-hour turnaround. RunAPI passes this discount through.
Real-world costs
What does the Claude API actually cost for real workloads?
Token costs look abstract until you attach them to real tasks. Below are five common developer workloads with estimated monthly costs at two usage levels.
| Workload | Model | Light use (~50 tasks/day) | Heavy use (~200 tasks/day) | Monthly saving vs official |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vibe coding session (Claude Code) | Sonnet 4.6 | $45/mo | $180/mo | $45–$180 |
| PR code review agent | Opus 4.7 | $75/mo | $300/mo | $75–$300 |
| RAG-powered docs chatbot | Haiku 4.5 | $12/mo | $48/mo | $12–$48 |
| Content generation pipeline | Sonnet 4.6 | $30/mo | $120/mo | $30–$120 |
| Multi-agent orchestrator | Opus 4.7 | $150/mo | $600/mo | $150–$600 |
Provider comparison
Is Claude API cheaper than OpenAI and Gemini?
Developers often compare Claude against GPT-5 and Gemini 2.5 Pro. Here is how the flagship models stack up on a per-million-token basis.
| Provider | Flagship model | Input /M | Output /M | RunAPI rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Claude Opus 4.7 | $10.00 | $50.00 | $5.00 / $25.00 |
| OpenAI | GPT-5.4 | $2.50 | $15.00 | $1.25 / $7.50 |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | $1.25 | $10.00 | $0.63 / $5.00 |
RunAPI applies a 50% discount on all providers listed above. Prices verified June 2026.
Subscription vs API
Is Claude API cheaper than a Claude Max subscription?
Claude Max costs $100/month for unlimited Claude Code usage (or $200 for the 5x plan). The API charges per token. For developers who run under 10 million output tokens per month on Sonnet 4.6, the RunAPI route costs less than the Max subscription — and there is no usage cap on any model tier.
Claude Max ($100/mo)
Unlimited usage of Sonnet and limited Opus in Claude Code. Fixed monthly cost. No API access.
Claude API via RunAPI
Pay per token with no monthly commitment. Sonnet 4.6 at $3/M input and $15/M output. $100 buys roughly 6.7 million output tokens — enough for most individual developers.
When Max wins
Heavy daily users who consistently exceed 10 million output tokens per month. The break-even point on Sonnet 4.6 through RunAPI is around 6.7M output tokens.
When API wins
Teams, CI pipelines, multi-model setups, and developers who want Opus or Haiku access alongside Sonnet. No cap, no waitlist, no subscription lock-in.
Getting started
How to access Claude API through RunAPI
1
Create a RunAPI account
Sign up at runapi.ai. No credit card required for the free tier.
2
Copy your API key
Go to Dashboard → API Keys. Create a key and save it — you will use this as your OpenAI API key.
3
Point your SDK to RunAPI
Set the base URL to https://api.runapi.ai/v1 and use your RunAPI API key. Any OpenAI-compatible client works — Python, Node.js, Go, Ruby, or curl.
4
Start making requests
Use claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-opus-4-7, or any Claude model ID in the model parameter. RunAPI handles routing and billing at 50% of the official rate.
Frequently asked questions
Claude API Pricing FAQ
Does RunAPI modify Claude's output?
No. RunAPI proxies requests directly to Anthropic's API. The model output, safety filters, and behavior are identical to calling Anthropic directly.
Why is RunAPI 50% cheaper than the official API?
RunAPI negotiates volume pricing with model providers and passes the savings to developers. There is no quality difference — same models, same API.
Can I use RunAPI with Claude Code?
Yes. Set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.runapi.ai and your RunAPI key as the API key. Claude Code works without modification.
What happens if Anthropic changes their pricing?
RunAPI adjusts within 24 hours. The 50% discount is maintained relative to Anthropic's published rates.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. New accounts get free credits to test any model. After that, billing is strictly pay-as-you-go with no minimum.
Does RunAPI support prompt caching?
Yes. Cache reads, 5-minute writes, and 1-hour writes are all supported at 50% of Anthropic's cache pricing.
Can I use the OpenAI SDK to call Claude through RunAPI?
Yes. RunAPI is OpenAI-compatible. Point any OpenAI client at api.runapi.ai/v1 and use Claude model IDs.
How does billing work?
Pay-as-you-go. You fund your account with a balance, and each API call deducts the token cost. No subscriptions, no invoices, no contracts.
Start using Claude at half price.
Create a free RunAPI account, get your API key, and start calling Claude Opus, Sonnet, or Haiku at 50% off official Anthropic pricing.