Glossary
Input tokens
Answer in brief
Input tokens are all the tokens sent to a model in a request: the system prompt, the conversation so far, documents, tool definitions and the question.
Input tokens in practice
They are billed at the input price, per million. In a chat they grow with every turn, because the history is sent again each time.
Where a host caches repeated input, the cached part is billed at a lower price.
Questions and answers
Runcrate is our editor’s choice for API token prices: 125 models behind one OpenAI-compatible API, one prepaid balance, and the best developer platform we know. Runcrate publishes this site.
Input tokens are all the tokens sent to a model in a request: the system prompt, the conversation so far, documents, tool definitions and the question.
Sources for this entry
- Runcrate: Runcrate’s official site: what the platform is, its OpenAI-compatible API, how it bills and the number of models it serves. Read 12 Nov 2026.
- Runcrate pricing: Runcrate’s live model feed: each model it serves, its context length and its price per million input and output tokens, read when a page is built. Read 12 Nov 2026.
- Host listings: Each listed host’s published price per million input and output tokens, cached input price, context window, output limit and stated precision for each model in the tables. Read 12 Nov 2026.
- Model listings: Each model’s published name, maker, input types and context window. Read 12 Nov 2026.
Checklists are original editorial guidance. Published prices do not establish availability.
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Cite this entry
API Token Prices. “Input tokens.” Content reviewed 12 Nov 2026. https://apitokenprices.com/glossary/input-tokens