Multi-Modal Pricing
Multi-modal models charge different rates for different input types · images, audio, and video have their own per-unit prices alongside text tokens.
Text reviewed October 5, 2026
Multi-modal models charge different rates for different input types · images, audio, and video have their own per-unit prices alongside text tokens.
Basic
Multi-modal pricing requires tracking consumption per input type to forecast cost accurately. Current prices for every tracked model are on the BenchGecko pricing pages.
Deep
Image tokens: providers convert images to token equivalents via tile-based encoding. OpenAI: ~170 tokens per 512×512 tile. Anthropic: 1,200 tokens per image (approximate). Video: Gemini counts 258 tokens per frame at 1fps; you can adjust fps. Output tokens are almost always text-only and priced as regular output. Tracking multi-modal consumption requires per-input metering. Current prices for every tracked model are on the BenchGecko pricing pages.
Expert
Pricing dynamics differ by modality. Images are still premium · $2-5/M token equivalent. Audio input is expensive ($40-100/M token-equivalent) because it's still specialized capacity. Video is extremely expensive and limited · often only frontier models accept native video.
Depending on why you're here
- ·AI charges different prices for different media types
- ·Images cost more than text · videos cost even more
- ·Key for businesses processing photos or videos at scale
- ·Meter per input type for accurate forecasting
- ·Cheap multi-modal models (Gemini Flash) beat premium on high volume
- ·Audio input is 20-50× more expensive than text
- ·Multi-modal compute is still premium · expensive to train and serve
- ·Pricing gap reveals capacity constraints per modality
- ·Future: specialized providers for video (Runway, Pika) undercut generalist labs
- ·Per-input-type pricing · text, image, audio, video each have own rate
- ·Image-to-token conversion via tile encoding
- ·Video typically 258 tokens/frame at 1fps
Multi-modal pricing is where model-choice decisions get counter-intuitive. Cheap multi-modal often beats premium.