tokevenCost Calculator
How much does chain of thought cost?
Compare 14 AI models for chain of thought. Prices shown at 10K calls/month with default token counts.
Reasoning tasks require multi-step logic, analysis, or detailed problem solving by the model. Output tokens tend to be high because the model produces intermediate steps. The final answer follows a chain of reasoning that increases the output length.
What drives chain of thought cost
Reasoning tasks invert the usual ratio: the model produces far more tokens than it consumes, because the intermediate steps are the work. Output pricing dominates completely, and models that reason at length cost more than their headline rate suggests. Comparing reasoning models on input price is actively misleading; compare them on output.
Recommendations
Top picks for chain of thought
Best quality
Claude Opus 4.8
97/100 confidence
Best value
Claude Sonnet 5
90/100 confidence · $140/mo
Budget pick
GPT 5.6 Luna
63/100 confidence · $16/mo
Monthly estimates assume 3,000 input / 5,000 output tokens per call. Use the detailed page for custom calculations.
Confidence scores are a third-party benchmark snapshot from week 29 of 2026. This snapshot is 8 weeks old, so treat the scores as directional and validate against your own evals.
Frequently asked questions
How much does chain of thought cost per API call?
Reasoning tasks invert the usual ratio: the model produces far more tokens than it consumes, because the intermediate steps are the work. Output pricing dominates completely, and models that reason at length cost more than their headline rate suggests. Comparing reasoning models on input price is actively misleading; compare them on output. Across the 14 models we track, a typical call uses about 3,000 input and 5,000 output tokens.
What is the cheapest model for chain of thought?
GPT 5.6 Luna from GPT is the lowest-cost model we track for chain of thought, at roughly $16.00 for 10,000 calls per month. It scores 63 out of 100 on this task type.
Which model is best for chain of thought?
Claude Opus 4.8 from Claude ranks highest for chain of thought, scoring 97 out of 100. Confidence scores are a third-party benchmark snapshot from week 29 of 2026. This snapshot is 8 weeks old, so treat the scores as directional and validate against your own evals.
See your real chain of thought costs
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