AI Classification / Moderation Cost Calculator

How this calculator works

The AI Classification / Moderation Cost Calculator estimates what you will pay to run a classification or moderation model across a given volume of content. It multiplies your items per month by the tokens each item consumes, then applies your model's per-million-token rates. Because input and output are billed separately, the tool takes input tokens per item and output tokens per item alongside the input $/1M and output $/1M prices, so the monthly total reflects both sides of each request. The main cost drivers are therefore volume (how many items you process), the token size of each item, and the model's pricing tier — a small per-item token count multiplied across millions of items adds up quickly.

The key trade-off to watch is token length versus accuracy. Classification and moderation prompts often carry long instructions, category definitions, or few-shot examples in every request, and those input tokens are charged on each of the millions of items you send. Trimming the prompt, batching items, or choosing a cheaper model lowers the per-item cost, but may reduce classification quality. Use the calculator to test how each change — fewer input tokens, a shorter output format, or a lower-priced model — moves the monthly total before you commit to processing at full scale, since the difference between two token counts or two price tiers compounds heavily at high volume.

Frequently asked questions

How much does AI classification cost?

Cost per item = input tokens × input price + a tiny output (the label) × output price. Because the output is short, input drives the bill — keep prompts terse and use a small model.

Do I need a big model to classify?

Rarely. Classification and moderation are tasks where small models match large ones. Route them to the cheapest model that meets your accuracy bar, or a purpose-built classifier endpoint.