Private AI Cost Calculator
Compare the monthly cost of a cloud API with self-hosting and calculate the break-even point.
The calculation provides an initial cost comparison. It considers only the values entered and does not replace individual infrastructure or investment planning.
Cloud API or self-hosting: compare costs
Enter your token volume along with the relevant prices and operating costs. The calculator shows the monthly cost of both options and their potential break-even point.
The example values are from July 2026 and serve only to illustrate the calculation. Enter your own prices and costs for a meaningful comparison.
At your current volume, the cloud API is cheaper.
From 2,916.67M tokens per month, self-hosting is cheaper.
Cost over volume:
The comparison uses the monthly costs you entered. It does not include one-off migration work, downtime, unused capacity or additional safety margins.
FAQ
Where do the default prices come from?
The default values are vendor-neutral examples, not market prices or quotes. Replace them with your own figures for the comparison.
What does utilization mean in this calculator?
Utilization is the share of provisioned capacity that is actually used. At low utilization, monthly fixed costs are spread across fewer processed tokens.
Does the calculation cover all self-hosting costs?
The calculation uses the monthly infrastructure and operating costs you enter. One-off migration, downtime risk and time to production readiness are not included.
Is my input stored?
The calculation runs in your browser. Only when you request feedback are your email address and result sent to us.