Claude 3 Opus vs Claude Sonnet 4
Claude 3 Opus vs Claude Sonnet 4: Claude Sonnet 4 is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($3.00/M vs $15.00/M input tokens), while Claude 3 Opus is better for long-context tasks (200,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Claude Sonnet 4 for lower token spend and choose Claude 3 Opus when your workload needs longer context.
Compare input and output token pricing, context windows, and monthly cost estimates on one page so you can pick the cheaper model fast.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Claude 3 Opus
Claude Sonnet 4
Cost Differences
Claude Sonnet 4 costs less than Claude 3 Opus
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Claude Sonnet 4. At the default workload, Claude Sonnet 4 saves about $126.00/month ($1,533.00/year) versus Claude 3 Opus.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Claude 3 Opus | Claude Sonnet 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Anthropic | Anthropic |
| Input Price | $15.00/1M tokens | $3.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $75.00/1M tokens | $15.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 4,096 tokens | 64,000 tokens |
| Category | flagship | standard |
| Capabilities | textvisionreasoning | textvisioncodereasoning |
| Release Date | 3/4/2024 | 5/14/2025 |
Claude 3 Opus vs Claude Sonnet 4: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Claude 3 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4 depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Claude Sonnet 4 is the more affordable option at $3.00/1M input tokens — 80% cheaper than Claude 3 Opus.
These models target different tiers: Claude 3 Opus is a flagship model while Claude Sonnet 4 is standard. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Claude 3 Opus is built for complex tasks that require deeper reasoning, while Claude Sonnet 4 offers better value for routine operations.
Output costs matter too. Claude 3 Opus charges $75.00/1M output tokens vs $15.00 for Claude Sonnet 4. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Claude Sonnet 4 has the edge here at $15.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Both models support vision (image understanding), so you can send images alongside text prompts with either option.
Best Use Cases
Choose Claude 3 Opus when:
- • You're already using Anthropic's API ecosystem
Choose Claude Sonnet 4 when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need more capabilities (code)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 64,000 tokens)
- • You're already using Anthropic's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Claude 3 Opus
- • Input pricing: $15.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $75.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 4,096 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Claude Sonnet 4
- • Higher output cost than Claude Sonnet 4
Claude Sonnet 4
- • Input pricing: $3.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $15.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 64,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Claude 3 Opus (Anthropic)
Claude Sonnet 4 (Anthropic)
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Sign Up for Anthropic →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Claude 3 Opus or Claude Sonnet 4?▼
What is the context window difference between Claude 3 Opus and Claude Sonnet 4?▼
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
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