How are words converted to tokens?

As a rough rule, one English word is about 1.3 tokens, so 500 words is roughly 650 output tokens. The calculator applies this ratio so you can think in words while it bills in tokens.

Why report cost per output unit instead of per token?

Tokens are abstract to most stakeholders. "Each support reply costs 0.3 cents" is a number a product or finance team can reason about and budget against, which tokens are not.

Does this include the prompt cost?

Yes. The cost per unit combines the input cost of the prompt you send and the output cost of the generated text, since both are billed to produce one unit.

Is my data sent anywhere?

No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, stored or logged.

Token Cost per Output Unit Calculator

Token cost per output unit calculator

Per-token pricing is meaningless to most of the people who approve AI budgets. This calculator translates it into the units your business actually ships — a blog post, a support reply, a code review — so you can say “each one costs half a cent” instead of quoting prices per million tokens.

How it works

The calculator converts your average output length from words to tokens, adds the prompt tokens you send to produce it, and applies the model’s separate input and output prices:

output_tokens = output_words × 1.3
unit_cost     = prompt_tokens   / 1M × input_price
              + output_tokens   / 1M × output_price

It then multiplies by 100 and 1,000 so you have batch figures ready for a spreadsheet or a budget request.

Tips and notes

Measure real outputs. Use the actual average length of your blog posts or replies, not an aspirational one — short outputs cost far less.
Report the unit cost, keep the assumptions. Note the model and length you assumed so the number is reproducible when prices change.
Compare models per unit. A cheaper model may double output length to say the same thing; cost per unit catches that, cost per token does not.