Token Cost Optimizer Calculator

Optimize prompts, outputs, and retries for lower spend. See per-call cost, batch savings, and limits. Export results to CSV or PDF for quick sharing.

Calculator inputs

Enter your token volumes, rates, and optimization settings. Submit to see cost, savings, and budget limits. Values stay on screen for quick iteration.

Used in exports and reports.
Any label you prefer.
Total requests in the chosen period.
Use 30 for a month.
Compute max calls under budget.
Extra retries increase billed tokens.
Average input tokens per call.
Average output tokens per call.
Tooling, wrappers, system prompts.
Use your provider’s input pricing.
Use your provider’s output pricing.
Estimated reduction from prompt optimization.
Estimated reduction from shorter outputs.
Applied after per-call cost is computed.
Credits, negotiated discounts, promotions.
For stable system prompts and shared context.
Percent of prompt-side tokens billed as cached.
Example: 25 means cached tokens cost 25%.

Example data table

Use these examples to sanity-check outputs. Rates are placeholders; replace them with your pricing. Tokens are typical ranges, not guarantees.

Use case Prompt tokens Completion tokens Retries (%) Input $/1K Output $/1K Est. cost/call
Support chat reply6502205.0$0.50$1.50$0.6878
RAG answer with citations1,4004207.0$0.50$1.50$1.4231
Document summarization3,2006504.0$0.50$1.50$2.6780
Agent tool-run workflow2,10090010.0$0.50$1.50$2.6400

Formula used

This calculator estimates per-call token billing and scales it to a period. It applies retries first, then token reductions, then caching and discounts.

Effective tokens
prompt_eff = (prompt + overhead) × (1 − compression) × (1 + retry_rate)
completion_eff = completion × (1 − response_reduction) × (1 + retry_rate)
Input cost with caching
effective_in_rate = (1 − hit)×in_rate + hit×in_rate×cache_multiplier
input_cost = prompt_eff × effective_in_rate / 1000
Output and total
output_cost = completion_eff × out_rate / 1000
per_call = (input_cost + output_cost) × (1 − global_discount) × (1 − batch_discount)
period_cost = per_call × calls
Budget limit
max_calls = floor(budget / per_call)

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter average prompt, completion, and overhead token counts per request.
  2. Fill in your input and output token rates from your provider.
  3. Set retry rate based on observed validation failures and re-asks.
  4. Adjust compression and response reduction to model proposed changes.
  5. Enable caching if you reuse stable prefixes; estimate a hit rate.
  6. Add discounts and a budget to compute limits and guardrails.
  7. Submit to view results above the form, then export CSV/PDF.

Cost drivers behind token spend

Token billing grows from three measurable inputs: prompt size, output size, and retry behavior. This calculator models each component per request, then multiplies by expected call volume. Overhead tokens capture hidden wrappers such as system prompts, tool schemas, and safety text that often exceed 5–15% of total input. The baseline view helps you see where tokens concentrate before any optimization.

Pricing inputs and blended rates

Providers typically price input and output tokens separately, so the model uses two rates expressed per 1,000 tokens. For a realistic plan, enter rates for the exact tier and region you deploy. When caching is enabled, the calculator creates a blended input rate using cache hit rate and cached billing percentage, reflecting discounted reuse of stable prefixes. Teams with consistent instructions often see 20–60% cache hits in production.

Optimization levers with measurable impact

Prompt compression estimates how much prompt-side text you can remove through template cleanup, retrieval filtering, and eliminating repeated instructions. Response reduction estimates the effect of concise outputs, tighter formatting, and stop conditions. Both reductions apply before discounting, so improvements compound with batching and negotiated discounts. Small changes often produce large monthly savings at scale. Use experiments to validate reductions against quality metrics and latency.

Retries, reliability, and guardrails

Retries are a silent cost multiplier. A 6% retry rate means 1.06× billed tokens, even when responses are discarded. Track validation failures, tool timeouts, and user re-asks to estimate this rate. Use structured outputs and deterministic constraints to reduce rework. Add fallbacks for partial answers to avoid full reruns. The budget section converts optimized cost per call into a maximum safe request volume.

Reporting and continuous cost control

After submission, the results compare baseline versus optimized spend, highlighting absolute and percentage savings for the chosen period. Exporting CSV supports finance tracking and unit-economics dashboards, while the PDF report works for approvals and audits. Re-run scenarios to test new policies, model changes, or caching rollouts, and keep costs aligned with product growth. Review costs weekly, and refresh token estimates after major prompt updates. Document assumptions so stakeholders trust the numbers you share.

FAQs

How do I estimate tokens if I do not log them?

Start with a sample set of requests and approximate tokens using your provider’s dashboards. Use averages for prompt, completion, and overhead, then refine weekly as logging improves.

What should I enter for overhead tokens?

Include system instructions, tool schemas, routing text, and formatting wrappers. If unsure, begin with 5–15% of prompt tokens and adjust after observing real request payloads.

Does caching reduce output token costs?

Caching is modeled on the prompt-side only, because reused prefixes typically affect input billing. Output costs still depend on completion tokens and output rate.

How should I set retry rate for agents?

Count tool failures, invalid outputs, and user re-asks that trigger another call. Divide retries by successful calls to get a percentage, then track changes as reliability improves.

Why are there two discounts in the calculator?

Batch discount reflects savings from processing work together, while additional discount covers credits or negotiated pricing. Both apply after per-call costs are computed to keep inputs consistent.

Can I use this for daily forecasting instead of monthly?

Yes. Set period days to 1 and enter expected daily calls. The calculator will return daily cost estimates and budget-based maximum calls for the same timeframe.

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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.