Claude API vs Together AI inference pricing

Summary:

This article compares the inference pricing models of Anthropic’s Claude API and Together AI, two leading platforms for accessing large language models. It examines their cost structures, token-based pricing systems, and suitability for different use cases. For developers and businesses new to AI, understanding these pricing differences is crucial for budgeting AI projects, selecting cost-effective solutions for applications like chatbots or content generation, and avoiding unexpected expenses when scaling operations. The comparison highlights how each provider balances performance needs with affordability.

What This Means for You:

• Cost visibility matters: Claude API uses predictable tiered pricing while Together AI employs granular pay-per-token pricing. Track your monthly token usage with free calculators to estimate costs before committing to either platform.
• Performance vs. budget trade-offs: Claude’s higher-tier models (Opus) offer premium performance at premium prices, while Together AI lets you choose from cheaper open-source alternatives like Llama-3. Start with smaller models for prototyping before moving to expensive models.
• Hidden scaling costs: Both services charge extra for API requests and context window tokens. Negotiate enterprise deals if exceeding 10M monthly tokens, and consider caching frequent responses to reduce repeated inferences.
• Future outlook or warning: Inference pricing fluctuates frequently as new models emerge. Locking into fixed-term contracts may backfire as cheaper alternatives launch. Monitor both providers’ announcements about new pricing tiers and consider multi-cloud strategies to maintain negotiation leverage.

Explained: Claude API vs Together AI inference pricing

Understanding Inference Pricing Models

Inference pricing refers to the cost of running trained AI models to generate responses. Both Claude API (from Anthropic) and Together AI use token-based pricing, where costs accumulate based on text processed (input tokens) and generated (output tokens). One token typically represents 3-4 English characters. The critical difference lies in how each provider structures their pricing tiers and optional features.

Claude API Pricing Breakdown

Anthropic offers three Claude model tiers with distinct performance characteristics and price points:

• Claude 3 Haiku ($0.25/million input tokens, $1.25/million output): Fastest response for simple queries, ideal for high-volume chatbots
• Claude 3 Sonnet ($3/million input, $15/million output): Balanced intelligence for content generation and analysis
• Claude 3 Opus ($15/million input, $75/million output): Premium model for complex reasoning tasks

Claude enforces strict rate limits on standard tiers (Haiku max 40k input tokens) and charges $0.0025 per 1k tokens for extended 200k+ context windows. Anthropic’s enterprise contracts offer volume discounts above $10k/month.

Together AI Pricing Structure

Together AI differentiates itself with diverse model support and flexible pricing:

• Open-source models (Llama-3, Mistral) from $0.20/million I/O tokens
• Proprietary models like Mixtral-8x22B at $0.90/million tokens
• On-demand pricing without usage commitments
• Optional compute credits from $0.80/hour for dedicated GPU access

Notably, Together AI doesn’t differentiate between input/output pricing – all tokens cost the same regardless of direction. The platform allows unlimited context window usage without surcharges.

When to Choose Claude API

Anthropic’s models excel in enterprise scenarios demanding:

• Strict SLAs with guaranteed uptime (99.9% service agreement)
• Advanced Constitutional AI safety features
• Long document analysis (200k+ token capacity)
• Premium support with direct engineering access

Expect 20-40% higher costs versus open-source alternatives for these enterprise-grade features.

When Together AI Shines

Together’s platform benefits:

• Early-stage startups needing cost predictability ($10 free trial credit)
• Researchers requiring model flexibility (50+ foundation models)
• Applications with variable traffic patterns (no minimum commitments)
• Teams comfortable managing open-source model limitations

Real-world cases show Together reducing bills by 65% for experimental NLP projects compared to Claude Opus.

TCO Considerations

Beyond published token rates, calculate these hidden costs:

• Claude’s $0.00055 per image token processing fees
• Together’s $0.15 per 1k embedded tokens for Retrieval Augmented Generation
• Both providers charge separately for API requests ($0.005-$0.01 per call)
• Data egress fees when exporting large result sets

Proof-of-concept testing is essential – run identical workflows through both platforms to compare real-world costs before scaling.

People Also Ask About:

• Which platform offers cheaper pricing for small projects?

  Together AI typically costs less for low-volume prototyping due to no minimum fees and $10 free credits. For projects under 100k monthly tokens, Together’s open-source models can cost 80% less than Claude Sonnet. However, Claude Haiku becomes competitive at 500k+ tokens for simple tasks.

• How do context window sizes impact pricing?

  Claude charges premium rates for 200k token context windows (+25% per request), while Together includes extended context at no extra cost. Processing a 100k-token document on Claude Opus could cost $7.50 just for inputs versus $1.40 for similar capability on Together’s Llama-3 Long model.

• Are there hidden fees with either provider?

  Both add fees beyond base token rates: Claude bills for image processing tokens and asynchronous request queues. Together charges for GPU idle time when reserving dedicated instances. Monitor API logging dashboards to detect these ancillary costs.

• Which provider scales better for enterprise use?

  Claude offers volume discounts at enterprise tiers (20M+ tokens monthly) with committed use contracts. Together maintains linear per-token pricing regardless of scale but provides custom Kubernetes clusters for large deployments. Enterprises often use both – Claude for mission-critical apps and Together for experimental workloads.

Expert Opinion:

The current pricing models reflect fundamental trade-offs between proprietary model quality and open-source flexibility. Claude’s higher pricing subsidizes intensive model safety research, while Together passes infrastructure savings from community models to consumers. Expect price volatility as GPU costs fluctuate – negotiate inflation protection clauses in enterprise contracts. Avoid vendor lock-in by abstracting API calls through middleware supporting both providers. Prioritize architecture that enables quick switching between models based on real-time pricing feeds.

Extra Information:

• Anthropic’s Official Pricing Docs – Detailed token costs per model with interactive calculator
• Together AI Price List – Updated list of 50+ models with filtering by performance/cost
• Token Cost Calculator – Third-party tool comparing Claude vs Together costs for specific prompts

Related Key Terms:

• Claude API cost per million tokens comparison 2024
• Together AI vs Anthropic pricing for startups
• Calculating total cost of ownership for AI inference
• Best budget AI model APIs for content generation
• How to reduce LLM API costs with token optimization
• Enterprise negotiation strategies for Claude contracts
• Hidden fees in Together AI GPU reservations

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