What's the Cheapest LLM API for Coding in 2026?
Published: October 29, 2026 · 2 min read
Pricing data as of Nov 4, 2026 - verify current rates on the official site before purchase
Building an AI side project? We tested all the major LLM APIs and here's the cheapest option that still works great for coding tasks.
Cheapest Overall: Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite
Google Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite is the cheapest option from a major provider, at $0.10 per 1M input tokens ($0.40 output), with a generous free tier perfect for side projects.
Fastest: Groq
Groq runs open source models at 500 tokens/second, with a free tier for low-traffic apps.
Best Value: DeepSeek
DeepSeek is priced well below OpenAI's GPT-5.4 mini ($0.75 input / $4.50 output per 1M tokens): its flash model costs $0.15-0.30 for input and $0.60-1.20 for output per 1M tokens depending on peak hours.
*This post contains affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
📬 Get weekly AI coding tools in your inbox
We send 5 best new AI dev tools every week, no spam.
Browse All LLM APIs