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Free toolSelf-Host vs API Breakeven Calculator
GPUs are cheap when busy and expensive when idle. Enter your numbers to see whether self-hosting beats per-token pricing.
Example values. Use measured throughput for your model and setup; real utilization is usually lower than planned.
How it's calculated
Capacity = throughput × seconds per month × utilization × GPUs. Hardware cost per 1M tokens = GPU cost per month ÷ capacity. Add engineering time, then compare with the API.
Read self-hosting vs API cost.
Frequently asked questions
When is self-hosting an LLM cheaper?
At high, steady utilization, with a model that meets your quality bar, after engineering time.
Why does utilization matter so much?
You pay for GPUs whether they're busy or not, so low utilization multiplies your cost per token.
Want us to find your 20%?
Book a free 15-minute API cost teardown. Bring last month's provider usage and we'll show you your biggest waste and the first fix we'd ship.
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