Verified 2026 API Rates • Prompt Caching & Batch ROI

Claude 3.5 Haiku vs GPT-4o mini

Compare real-world API costs for Claude 3.5 Haiku ($0.8/$4) vs GPT-4o mini ($0.15/$0.6). Calculate Prompt Caching ROI & Batch API savings.

GPT-4o mini saves up to 81% on base input tokens
Anthropic

Claude 3.5 Haiku

claude-3-5-haiku
Base Input Rate
$0.80 / 1M
Output Rate
$4.00 / 1M
Prompt Cache Read
$0.080 / 1M (-90%)
Cache Write Surcharge
$1.00 / 1M (+25%)
Batch API Discount
-50% Off
Context Window
200k tokens
Quality Index (MMLU)
75.2
OpenAI

GPT-4o mini

gpt-4o-mini
Base Input Rate
$0.15 / 1M
Output Rate
$0.60 / 1M
Prompt Cache Read
$0.075 / 1M (-50%)
Cache Write Surcharge
$0.00 (Free write)
Batch API Discount
-50% Off
Context Window
128k tokens
Quality Index (MMLU)
82
Differential Module 1

Prompt Caching ROI & Write Surcharge Break-Even Analysis

Prompt caching drastically reduces input token costs for static prefixes like system prompts, tool schemas, and document chunks. Compare caching mechanisms between Claude 3.5 Haiku and GPT-4o mini:

Claude 3.5 Haiku Caching Profile-90% read discount

  • Cached Read Price: $0.080 per 1M tokens.
  • Write Surcharge: $1.00/1M (+25% fee on initial cache write).
  • Minimum Cache Prefix: 1,024 tokens.
  • Amortization Rule: Net cost savings begin when prefix is reused > 1.25 times within TTL.

GPT-4o mini Caching Profile-50% read discount

  • Cached Read Price: $0.075 per 1M tokens.
  • Write Surcharge: $0.00 (automatic caching with zero write penalty).
  • Minimum Cache Prefix: 1,024 tokens.
  • Amortization Rule: Immediate net savings from first cached read call.
Differential Module 2

Batch API 50% Discount Offload vs Real-Time SLA

Asynchronous Batch APIs cut total token expenditures in half (50% off input and output) in exchange for non-realtime execution (up to 24-hour turnaround SLA).

Model / ArchitectureStandard Input / OutputBatch 50% Off Input / OutputTurnaround SLAOptimal Use Cases
Claude 3.5 Haiku$0.80 / $4.00$0.40 / $2.00 (-50%)24 Hours max (typically 30m - 2h)Bulk evaluation, dataset labeling, background summarization
GPT-4o mini$0.15 / $0.60$0.07 / $0.30 (-50%)24 Hours max (typically 30m - 2h)Offline document translation, embedding backfills, test suites
Differential Module 3

Context Window Escalation & Tiered Pricing Architecture

Massive context windows allow ingesting entire repositories or books, but pricing models differ drastically between flat-rate vendors and tiered step-up pricing.

Claude 3.5 Haiku Context Capacity

Provides a 200k token context window with a maximum output limit of 8.192k tokens.✓ Flat-rate billing across all prompt sizes up to max context ceiling.

GPT-4o mini Context Capacity

Provides a 128k token context window with a maximum output limit of 16.384k tokens.✓ Flat-rate billing across all prompt sizes up to max context ceiling.

Quill Strategic Content

Real-World Production Scenarios: Monthly Spend Projections

Pre-computed monthly engineering bill projections across 3 representative enterprise application workloads:

Scenario 1

RAG Knowledge Base & Enterprise Search

100,000 queries/month, 3,500 input tokens (system + 5 retrieved chunks), 400 output tokens, 75% prompt cache hit rate.

Claude 3.5 Haiku:$265.00/mo
GPT-4o mini:$56.81/mo
Delta Savings:-$208.19 (79%)
Architecture Verdict:GPT-4o mini delivers 79% lower monthly spend ($208.19/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Scenario 2

Multi-Turn Coding Agent & ReAct Loops

25,000 tasks/month, 8,000 input tokens (accumulating conversation context & tool schemas), 1,200 output tokens, 85% cache hit rate.

Claude 3.5 Haiku:$153.18/mo
GPT-4o mini:$32.61/mo
Delta Savings:-$120.57 (79%)
Architecture Verdict:GPT-4o mini delivers 79% lower monthly spend ($120.57/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Scenario 3

High-Throughput Offline Data Extraction

500,000 records/month, 1,500 input tokens, 250 output tokens, 100% batch offload (24-hour turnaround SLA).

Claude 3.5 Haiku:$511.00/mo
GPT-4o mini:$88.12/mo
Delta Savings:-$422.87 (83%)
Architecture Verdict:GPT-4o mini delivers 83% lower monthly spend ($422.87/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Motor Interactivo en Tiempo Real

Claude 3.5 Haiku vs GPT-4o mini

Cálculos de costos mensuales en 3 cargas de trabajo empresariales habituales (RAG, Agente de Código y Limpieza por Lotes):

Live 50ms Engine
Peticiones Mensuales100,000
Tokens de Entrada / Pet.4,000
Tokens de Salida1,000
Tasa de Acierto de Caché70%
Descarga a Batch API0%
GPT-4o mini Más Económico

ahorra aproximadamente

Claude 3.5 Haiku$534.40$5.344// 1k peticiones
vs
GPT-4o mini$99.00$0.990// 1k peticiones
Developer FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions: Claude 3.5 Haiku vs GPT-4o mini

Authoritative answers on API rate limits, pricing math, break-even thresholds, and architectural migration.

1Which model is cheaper overall: Claude 3.5 Haiku or GPT-4o mini?

At base pricing, Claude 3.5 Haiku costs $0.8/1M input and $4/1M output, while GPT-4o mini costs $0.15/1M input and $0.6/1M output. The cheaper option depends on your input-to-output token ratio and whether prompt caching or batch discounts are utilized.

2How does Prompt Caching impact the cost of Claude 3.5 Haiku vs GPT-4o mini?

Claude 3.5 Haiku offers a 90% read discount ($0.08/1M), whereas GPT-4o mini provides a 50% read discount ($0.075/1M). High cache hit ratios (>70%) significantly compress the cost delta in agentic and RAG architectures.

3Can I use Batch API with Claude 3.5 Haiku or GPT-4o mini to save 50%?

Claude 3.5 Haiku supports 50% batch offload discounts for asynchronous 24-hour turnaround tasks. GPT-4o mini supports 50% batch discounts.

4What are the context window limits and tiered pricing rules for Claude 3.5 Haiku vs GPT-4o mini?

Claude 3.5 Haiku features a 200k context window with flat per-token pricing. In comparison, GPT-4o mini supports 128k tokens with flat per-token pricing.