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o3 vs o3-pro

Compare OpenAI and OpenAI AI models

OpenAI
o3
vs
OpenAI
o3-pro

Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)

o3

Per Request:$0.006000
Daily:$0.60
Monthly:$18.00
Yearly:$219.00

o3-pro

Per Request:$0.06
Daily:$6.00
Monthly:$180.00
Yearly:$2,190.00

Cost Differences

+$0.054
Per Request
+$5.40
Daily
+$162.00
Monthly
+$1,971.00
Yearly

o3-pro costs more than o3

Feature Comparison

Featureo3o3-pro
ProviderOpenAIOpenAI
Input Price$2.00/1M tokens$20.00/1M tokens
Output Price$8.00/1M tokens$80.00/1M tokens
Context Window1,000,000 tokens1,000,000 tokens
Max Output131,072 tokens131,072 tokens
Categoryreasoningreasoning
Capabilities
textreasoningvisioncode
textreasoningcode
Release Date4/16/20256/10/2025

o3 vs o3-pro: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between o3 and o3-pro depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o3 is the more affordable option at $2.00/1M input tokens90% cheaper than o3-pro.

Both models are in the reasoning category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: o3 would save you roughly $16,200.00/month compared to o3-pro. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.

Output costs matter too. o3 charges $8.00/1M output tokens vs $80.00 for o3-pro. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o3 has the edge here at $8.00/1M output tokens.

Multimodal capabilities: o3 supports vision (image inputs) while o3-pro is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.

Best Use Cases

Choose o3 when:

  • • Budget is a primary concern
  • • You need more capabilities (vision)
  • • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem

Choose o3-pro when:

  • • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem

Try Different Scenarios

Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns

o3 (OpenAI)

o3-pro (OpenAI)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, o3 or o3-pro?
o3 is cheaper for input tokens at $2.00 per million tokens vs $20.00 for o3-pro — that's 90% savings on input costs.
What is the context window difference between o3 and o3-pro?
o3 supports 1,000,000 tokens while o3-pro supports 1,000,000 tokens — a difference of 0 tokens in favor of o3.
Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?
Both models support text, code, reasoning. For ai agent / agentic workflows, o3 is the lower-cost option, while o3 offers a larger context window (1,000,000 vs 1,000,000 tokens). Choose o3 for budget sensitivity or o3 for longer context tasks.
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?
At 100 requests/day with 1,000 input and 500 output tokens each, o3 costs about $18.00/month and o3-pro costs about $180.00/month. Overall, o3 has lower combined input + output rates ($2.00 in, $8.00 out) vs o3-pro.

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