Cost Optimization

Cost control is not only about unit price. It also requires reducing ineffective requests, overly long context, overly long output, and repeated calls.

How can I optimize API costs?

Start with:

• Choose a model that matches task complexity; simple classification, extraction, or rewriting may not require the highest-cost model.
• Set max_tokens or another output limit to avoid unbounded generation.
• Send only necessary context and remove repeated instructions or irrelevant history.
• Monitor request volume, billed amount, and model-level cost distribution.
• Use backoff retry for transient network issues, but avoid infinite retries.

Does streaming reduce cost?

Streaming mainly improves user experience by showing output earlier. It can help you stop a request early if the answer is clearly wrong, but it does not automatically reduce token cost. Final cost still depends on actual input, output, and model pricing.

Which metrics matter most?

Track:

• Request volume and cost distribution by model
• Average input and output tokens
• Average call cost per product feature
• Share of long-context requests
• Abnormal balance or billing changes

If costs rise suddenly, first check for duplicate calls, unbounded context growth, uncontrolled output length, or accidental model selection.