Businesses and organizations hire OpenAI developers for a diverse variety of projects, using developers who know how to run an OpenAI script and can design and integrate new tools and functions into their apps and websites.
Cost is always a consideration since commissioning a new AI-enabled feature can include developer costs, software subscriptions, and time in designing, testing, and adjusting the tool to deliver the right performance and business benefits.
There are different subscription options, since the ChatGPT API charges in tokens, based on how much you use it, whereas a ChatGPT Plus subscription costs a straightforward $20 per month.
Budgeting for an OpenAI Development Project
OpenAI is increasingly popular, and the specific costs you pay will very much depend on the type of development project you’re interested in.
What do you use OpenAI for? A developer might create an automated chatbot, populate your responsive FAQs database, or design a data analytics function. Once you’ve pinned down your objectives, they can advise on the OpenAI model you need.
OpenAI ChatGPT-4 Costs
GPT-4 is priced in tokens, with one token equivalent to roughly 1.3 words. Users buy tokens in batches of 1,000 units, paying between $0.03 and $0.12 per batch, depending on the type of project they’re working on and which model they are using.
OpenAI GPT-3.5
This version of ChatGPT is also based on token prices, and you pay a nominal $0.002 for every batch of 1,000 tokens purchased.
OpenAI Audio and Image Models
The DALL-E image model charges between $0.016 and $0.020 per image created or edited based on the resolution. The Whisper audio model, which translates speech into text and varied languages, costs $0.006 per minute.
All the above prices are for the OpenAI API and are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis, so if you have occasional projects or want to test out what OpenAI can do, this is a cost-effective solution.
Guru provides access to a network of thousands of skilled AI developers. If you aren’t clear about which model you need, what the total project cost is likely to be, or the projected budget required, we’d recommend posting a job and asking for advice from the professionals!
Pricing for ChatGPT Plus
ChatGPT Plus has a simplified pricing model of $20 per month. Why upgrade when ChatGPT is free to use? Paying users receive preferential treatment, with:
- Quicker responses
- Priority when new features are released
- Access even when usage levels are very high
Costs of Using OpenAI for Larger Scale Projects
The above tools and models are low-cost and accessible but may not have the customization options and features required to develop unique tools for an enterprise-level website.
Alternatives include GPT-3 Developer, designed for developers who want to build custom applications–although it isn’t intended for commercial projects. Charges depend on how many API requests your developer makes, with the lowest threshold of $100 for up to 500,000 requests per month.
OpenAI Codex is a new product that, although pricing has yet to be confirmed, allows developers to generate code through the power of AI. While this model is still in beta development, it is available free of charge and can code in Python, JavaScript, and PHP, among several other programming languages.
Finally, your OpenAI developer might suggest OpenAI Enterprise, a suitable option for larger-scope projects and companies who want to adopt an OpenAI tool to use in their websites or apps. Solution pricing for OpenAI Enterprise is tailored and will vary based on overall user numbers and the nature of the project.
Some tools are free to developers, including the waiting list for GPT-3, although the most suitable options will depend on the project you have in mind.
Can You Use OpenAI Models for Free?
Although some of the ChatGPT tools are free to use, if you’re looking to develop an application or micro-site using any model, you’ll need to ensure you have the appropriate licensing.
Businesses can use four potential language models in GPT-3, but Davinci is the most popular, costing around $1 for every 50,000 tokens. There are also countless variables that affect the number of tokens you use, including the prompts fed to the algorithm, model availability, and the volume of customization you require.
As always, a skilled OpenAI developer from Guru will be happy to explain the model that is the right fit for the innovation you’d like to implement and can help you calculate an overall software cost to incorporate into your plans.
