Input Tokens
AI & LLM Glossary
What is Input Tokens?
Input Tokens: Input tokens are the tokens in your prompt sent to the model. They're typically cheaper than output tokens.
Input Tokens Explained
Input tokens include everything you send to the model: system prompts, user messages, context, examples, and any other content. Input pricing is usually 3-10x cheaper than output pricing because the model processes input faster than generating output. For cost optimization, minimize redundant input and use caching when possible.
Formula
Input Cost = (Input Tokens / 1,000,000) × Input Price per 1M