Azure OpenAI API Pricing and Model Catalog: Use-Case Guide
Azure OpenAI offers OpenAI models with enterprise security, compliance, and integration. Here's how to use it cost-effectively.
Pricing data sourced from our catalog. Check data sources for provenance and freshness.
What is Azure OpenAI?
Azure OpenAI is Microsoft's enterprise offering of OpenAI models:
- Enterprise security: Azure AD, VNet, private endpoints
- Compliance: SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and more
- Integration: Native Azure services integration
- SLA: Enterprise-grade service level agreements
Azure OpenAI model catalog
Chat models
| Model | Input | Output | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| command-r-plus | $3.0000 | $15.0000 | 4K |
| computer-use-preview | $3.0000 | $12.0000 | 1K |
| gpt-4o-2024-08-06 | $2.7500 | $11.0000 | 16K |
| gpt-4o-2024-11-20 | $2.7500 | $11.0000 | 16K |
| gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18 | $0.1650 | $0.6600 | 16K |
Cost estimation example
Let's estimate costs for a typical Azure OpenAI chat workload:
Azure OpenAI vs OpenAI Direct
When to choose Azure OpenAI
- Enterprise compliance: When you need SOC 2, HIPAA, or GDPR
- Data residency: When you need data to stay in specific regions
- Integration: When you need native Azure services integration
- SLA: When you need enterprise-grade SLAs
When to choose OpenAI Direct
- Simplicity: When you want the simplest API experience
- Latest models: When you need the newest models immediately
- Cost: When cost is the primary concern
- Prototyping: When you're building prototypes or MVPs
Azure OpenAI strengths
- Enterprise security: Azure AD, VNet, private endpoints
- Compliance: SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and more
- Integration: Native Azure services integration
- SLA: Enterprise-grade service level agreements
- Data residency: Control over data location
Cost optimization tips
- Use Provisioned Throughput: For predictable workloads, PTUs can save money
- Batch processing: Process multiple requests together
- Caching: Cache responses for repeated queries
- Right-size your model: Match model size to task complexity
- Monitor usage: Track token usage to optimize costs
Compare Azure OpenAI models
Ready to compare Azure OpenAI models side by side? Use our tools:
Related guides
OpenAI API pricing and model catalog
A use-case guide to OpenAI's API model catalog and pricing.
Cross-provider pricing comparison
How pricing compares across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, and DeepSeek.
Hidden costs of LLM APIs
Rate limits, latency, evaluation overhead, and vendor risk beyond per-token pricing.
Local LLM vs cloud API cost comparison
When self-hosting saves money and when it doesn't.
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure OpenAI more expensive than OpenAI Direct?
Azure OpenAI pricing is similar to OpenAI Direct, but may include additional Azure infrastructure costs. For enterprise deployments, the compliance and security features may justify the difference.
What compliance certifications does Azure OpenAI have?
Azure OpenAI inherits Azure's compliance certifications, including SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001, and more.
Can I use Azure OpenAI for data-sensitive workloads?
Yes, Azure OpenAI is designed for enterprise workloads with data sensitivity requirements. Your data is not used for model training.