Billing and pricing

One TokenLab balance works across models. There is no subscription or minimum spend. Top-ups start at $5. Charges are based on the model and usage recorded for each request.

Delivery optionsCopy Anchor Link

The same model and API are available through two routes: Verified costs less, and Official is more reliable. The delivery option decides which route runs a request and which price you pay.

The Models page shows both prices for each model.

• Each completed request is charged once.
• Auto does not switch after output starts or after a task is accepted.
• Before a run, Auto holds the higher of the two possible amounts. If the balance covers only the Verified estimate, Auto runs Verified alone for that request and does not fall back to Official. After the run, you pay the actual charge and the rest is released.
• The X-TokenLab-Delivery-Policy request header overrides the API key setting, and the API key setting overrides the Workspace default. See the API introduction.

For paid generation, Console shows the maximum estimate before confirmation. After completion, Runs and Usage show the final charge and the option that completed the request.

Pricing ModelsCopy Anchor Link

Model prices can change. Check Console, the Models page, GET /v1/models/:model/pricing, or the Pricing API for the current price.

On the Models page, a dash in the Verified price or discount column means no Verified offer is currently available; it does not mean free. Models with Official supply remain available through Official or Auto. In the API, the Verified price fields of such a model are null or omitted, and the official_* price fields show what you pay. Delivery labels describe supported options, while availability is checked when each request runs. Series prices summarize models with supply in the relevant delivery option and keep different billing units separate.

Token-Based PricingCopy Anchor Link

Most chat, reasoning, embedding, rerank, and some image models are priced by input, output, cache, or image-output tokens.

Tool feesCopy Anchor Link

Some built-in tools cost extra on top of tokens. TokenLab charges a tool fee only when the model uses the tool and the response reports it. A request that offers a tool the model does not use has no tool fee.

• Each model has its own tool fee for Verified and Official, the same as its token prices. The model's pricing details show it as Web search or Search grounding.
• Search results that the model reads are billed as input tokens at the model's price.
• A tool without a price on a model is not charged.
• In Console, open a request in Runs: Tool fees shows the number of calls and the price of each call. The API key usage records show the same values in charged_price_basis: the count in measure.dimensions.webSearchCalls or groundedPrompts, and the price of each call in effectiveUnitPrices.webSearch or effectiveUnitPrices.groundedPrompt.

Prompt cachingCopy Anchor Link

A model can read the repeated start of a prompt from a cache. Tokens read from the cache cost less than input tokens.

• GPT, Gemini and some other models cache long repeated prompts automatically. You do not set anything.
• Claude models cache only when you ask. Send "anthropic_options": {"prompt_caching": true} in a Chat Completions request. TokenLab marks the end of the system prompt and the latest user message as cache points. With the Messages API, add cache_control to the blocks yourself.

• Cache prices differ by model and delivery option. Check the model on the Models page before you rely on a ratio.
• One cache read within the cache lifetime pays back the write. A prompt that never repeats costs a little more with caching on.
• A prompt shorter than the model's minimum (512 to 4,096 tokens for Claude, depending on the model) is not cached and has no cache write charge.
• If the serving route does not support a one-hour cache, the five-minute cache is used.
• The response shows the result: usage.prompt_tokens_details.cached_tokens is the number of tokens read from the cache, and usage.cache_creation_input_tokens is the number written to it.

Service tierCopy Anchor Link

TokenLab runs and bills requests at the standard service tier. service_tier values auto and default are accepted. Other values, such as flex, priority, fast, and ultrafast, are ignored: the request runs at the standard tier and is charged the standard price.

Request and Task PricingCopy Anchor Link

Image, video, music, 3D, audio, and world models may be priced per request, image, second, minute, or task. The model page shows the billing unit.

Async task billingCopy Anchor Link

Video, music, 3D, and task-based image generation return a task ID and poll_url. The final amount is recorded after the task becomes completed or failed. A completed task includes billing_transaction_id after billing; a failed task is not charged.

If Usage still does not show the final charge or released amount after the task finishes, contact support@tokenlab.sh with the Request ID and task ID.

Billing transaction IDsCopy Anchor Link

Non-streaming OpenAI-compatible responses include billing_transaction_id when billing finishes before the response is sent. The same value may appear in X-Billing-Transaction-ID; Gemini and other native formats may expose it only in this header.

Async tasks include billing_transaction_id after completion. Streaming may finish before billing does, so use Usage when the header is absent.

Token countsCopy Anchor Link

Text models usually report input, output, and total tokens in usage. Tokenization differs by model, language, and media input, so character-count formulas are not reliable billing estimates. Use the model's current price and the final Usage record.

Find your usageCopy Anchor Link

Open Usage to find:

• Real-time balance
• Usage history by model
• Cost breakdown
• API key usage

API responseCopy Anchor Link

Token-based responses usually include usage information:

{
  "usage": {
    "prompt_tokens": 50,
    "completion_tokens": 100,
    "total_tokens": 150
  }
}

Spend lessCopy Anchor Link

Low-balance alertsCopy Anchor Link

Set a threshold in Console → Settings. TokenLab emails you when the balance falls below it.

Add balanceCopy Anchor Link

Open Console → Billing, choose an amount, and use one of the payment methods shown at checkout. The balance updates after the payment provider confirms the payment.

When the trial-credit experiment is on, a new eligible account can receive a $0.25 trial credit once (was $0.10). Unused trial credit can expire after the campaign window.

API Key LimitsCopy Anchor Link

You can set a spending limit when you create or edit an API key in Console → API Keys.

When the limit is reached, requests with that key will return 402 Payment Required.

Billing helpCopy Anchor Link

Contact support@tokenlab.sh for billing inquiries.