Claude Opus 4.8 API Pricing: Cost Calculator & Real Examples (2026)
Claude Opus 4.8 charges $5.00 per 1 million input tokens and $25.00 per 1 million output tokens. But per-token prices don't answer the real question: what will your workload cost per month? Below we compute it for three realistic scenarios — or run your own numbers with Claude Opus 4.8 preselected.
| Meter | Price per 1M tokens |
|---|---|
| Input | $5.00 |
| Cached input | $0.50 |
| Output | $25.00 |
Note: Cache read = 0.1× input; cache writes billed extra (1.25× for 5-min).
What does Claude Opus 4.8 cost in practice?
| Monthly scenario | Token bill |
|---|---|
| Support chatbot (150k requests, 400 in / 300 out tokens) | $1,425.00 |
| Document workflow (22k runs, 3,000 in / 400 out tokens) | $550.00 |
| High-volume classifier (1M requests, 300 in / 10 out tokens) | $1,750.00 |
In the chatbot scenario, output is ~79% of the Claude Opus 4.8 bill — capping response length (max tokens) is the most direct optimization. Document workflows are input-heavy, so the input rate dominates there.
Prompt caching savings
Claude Opus 4.8 offers cached input at $0.50/1M (vs $5.00 standard). At a 60% cache-hit rate, the example chatbot drops from $1,425.00 to $1,263.00/month — saving $162.00. If your system prompt and context are stable, this discount is free money.
Is Claude Opus 4.8 cheap or expensive?
On the same chatbot workload, Claude Opus 4.8 is cheaper than 2 of the 13 models we track (position 12 of 14, cheapest to priciest). The nearest cheaper alternative is GPT-5.4 ($825.00/month on the same scenario). One step up: GPT-5.6 Sol ($1,650.00/month). The right decision isn't absolute price but the cheapest model that meets your quality bar — test before overpaying.
FAQ
How much does Claude Opus 4.8 cost per 1M tokens?
$5.00 per 1M input tokens and $25.00 per 1M output tokens (verified 2026-07-09).
What does a chatbot cost on Claude Opus 4.8?
A 500-active-user chatbot (10 questions/day, 400 input + 300 output tokens per request) costs ~$1,425.00/month in tokens on Claude Opus 4.8. Adjust the assumptions in the calculator.
Prices verified on 2026-07-09 against the provider's official pricing page. Estimates are for planning purposes only — always confirm current pricing with the provider.