Gemini API alternatives
Gemini API is already the cheapest LLM API we track at 12M tokens a month on its top model ($40/mo). Here's how the other 3 compare. The closest match, OpenAI API, covers 86% of what Gemini API does. Each one shows how much of it it covers, capability by capability, next to the price.
What Gemini API does
Core: Frontier-grade models, 1M-token context, Ongoing free tier.
Important: Image and PDF input, Voice and realtime audio, Image and video generation, Hosted agent tools, Prompt caching discounts, Batch and flex pricing.
Also has: Open-weight models (partly), OpenAI-compatible endpoint (partly), Ultra-fast inference (partly), Embeddings and reranking (partly), Flat-rate coding plan (partly), No-training, zero retention (partly), Compliance and data residency (partly).
Alternatives to Gemini API at 12M tokens a month on its top model, best match first
- OpenAI API: $200/mo Top = flagship proxy; LMArena rank not checked (Pay-as-you-go per token, GPT-6 Astra at standard rates (flagship proxy)). It covers 86% of Gemini API; missing or partial: Ongoing free tier, Ultra-fast inference. Free plan: none. Last price hike: May 2026.
- OpenRouter: $211/mo Top = Claude Fable 5, LMArena unverified; incl. 5.5% fee (Standard plan: cheapest route list price per 1M tokens for each point, on 10M input and 2M output tokens a month, plus t). It covers 82% of Gemini API; missing or partial: Voice and realtime audio (partly), Image and video generation (partly), Batch and flex pricing (partly), Flat-rate coding plan, Compliance and data residency. Free plan: Free models: 50 requests/day (20/min), or 1,000/day after buying $10+ of credits; production-use terms not stated..
- Anthropic API: $200/mo Ref: Fable 5.1 (LMArena rank not checked) (Fable 5.1 pay-as-you-go at standard rates: 10M input and 2M output tokens a month.). It covers 64% of Gemini API; missing or partial: Ongoing free tier, Voice and realtime audio, Image and video generation, Open-weight models, Ultra-fast inference. Free plan: none.
Other kinds of products that cover part of Gemini API
- Hugging Face (GPU cloud & model hosting): covers 43% of Gemini API; missing or partial: Frontier-grade models (partly), 1M-token context (partly), Ongoing free tier, Image and PDF input (partly), Voice and realtime audio (partly)
- Perplexity (AI assistants): covers 41% of Gemini API; missing or partial: 1M-token context (partly), Ongoing free tier, Image and PDF input, Voice and realtime audio, Image and video generation
Prices at every size
- Gemini API: 12M tokens a month on its top model $40/mo, 12M tokens a month on its cheapest model $5.50/mo, 12M tokens a month of gpt-oss-120b not offered (Rises to $80/mo on Dec 1, 2026 (announced))
- OpenAI API: 12M tokens a month on its top model $200/mo, 12M tokens a month on its cheapest model $2/mo, 12M tokens a month of gpt-oss-120b not offered (Top = flagship proxy; LMArena rank not checked)
- OpenRouter: 12M tokens a month on its top model $211/mo, 12M tokens a month on its cheapest model $0.22/mo, 12M tokens a month of gpt-oss-120b $0.63/mo (Top = Claude Fable 5, LMArena unverified; incl. 5.5% fee)
- Anthropic API: 12M tokens a month on its top model $200/mo, 12M tokens a month on its cheapest model $2/mo, 12M tokens a month of gpt-oss-120b not offered (Ref: Fable 5.1 (LMArena rank not checked))
Monthly USD cost of one reference workload: 10,000 requests a month, totaling 10M input and 2M output tokens, at standard pay-as-you-go rates with no caching or batch discounts. Top model is the product's highest-ranked model on the LMArena Text leaderboard. Cheapest model is its lowest-cost model with tool calling and a 128K context. gpt-oss-120b compares hosts on the same open model.
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Everything about Gemini API's own prices and price hikes: Gemini API.