Cost analysis
Self-Hosting vs API Break-Even Calculator
Estimate when self-hosting an open-weight model becomes cheaper than paying per-token API pricing. Enter your monthly API spend, GPU costs, and expected throughput to see the break-even point.
Data built Aug 10, 2026. Verify with providers before decisions.
Your current API usage
Self-hosting costs
How this calculator works
This calculator compares your current API spending against the cost of running an open-weight model on dedicated GPU hardware. The break-even point is when cumulative self-hosting costs (GPU + setup) equal cumulative API costs. After break-even, each additional month represents savings.
Limitations: This is a simplified estimate. It does not account for engineering time, infrastructure maintenance, availability guarantees, or model quality differences. Real-world self-hosting costs may include networking, storage, monitoring, and staff time.