AI Coding Token Cost Benchmark — August 2026
Version v2026-08-06 · Last verified 2026-08-06 · Next refresh 2026-08-13
As of August 2026, a bounded coding task costs approximately $0.35 on Claude Code (Sonnet 4.6) and $0.16 on Codex (GPT-5). tokenpatch routes patch execution to a lower-cost DeepSeek V4 Pro BYOK executor and measured the same task at $0.08 — a 77% saving vs Claude Code's all-strong baseline. A standalone DeepSeek V4 Pro executor run is estimated at ~$0.05.DeepSeek has announced plans to raise API pricing significantly. Prices last checked 2026-08-06 from official sources.
Rows marked estimated use a formula (100K input + 3K output tokens, no caching); rows marked measured come from tokenpatch run history. All prices verified against official pricing pages on 2026-08-06.
Benchmark table
| Tool | Model | Input $/1M tok. | Output $/1M tok. | Typical task | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex CLI | GPT-5 (legacy) | $1.25 | $10.00 | $0.16 | estimated |
| Anthropic Claude Code | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | $3.00 | $15.00 | $0.35 | estimated |
| Cursor | Frontier model (GPT-5 / Sonnet) | $1.25 | $10.00 | $0.16 | estimated |
| DeepSeek (standalone) | DeepSeek V4 Pro | $0.43 | $0.87 | $0.05 | estimated |
| tokenpatch + DeepSeek (BYOK) | DeepSeek executor (BYOK) | $0.43 | $0.87 | $0.08 | measured |
Click each source URL to verify the original pricing. Token estimates are based on a bounded patch task (100K input + 3K output tokens).
How this benchmark is computed
Task cost = (input tokens / 1,000,000 × input price per M) + (output tokens / 1,000,000 × output price per M). The reference bounded task uses 100,000 input tokens and 3,000 output tokens — a representative file edit with a test change and a short summary.
- Estimated rows: calculated from official API pricing. Actual costs may differ due to cache hits, plan tiers, subscription overhead, and task complexity.
- Measured rows (tokenpatch): recorded from real bounded-patch runs on a fixed reference task, routing to a BYOK DeepSeek executor while the strong model plans.
- Prices that cannot be verified from the source within the refresh window are marked
pending verificationrather than estimated.
Update history
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| v2026-08-06 | 2026-08-06 | Fixed DeepSeek pricing (V4 Pro $0.435/$0.87, was incorrectly using V4 Flash); updated OpenAI model names (GPT-5→legacy); recalibrated all task estimates with current official pricing. |
| v2026-08-05 | 2026-08-05 | Initial public baseline; measured tokenpatch run included; verified Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, and DeepSeek pricing. |
FAQ
How much does Codex cost per bounded task?
Based on the August 2026 benchmark, a bounded patch task with Codex on GPT-5 is estimated at ~$0.16. Claude Code (Sonnet 4.6) is ~$0.35 for the same task. tokenpatch measured $0.08 by routing to a DeepSeek V4 Pro BYOK executor.
Is DeepSeek cheaper than Codex for coding agents?
Yes. DeepSeek V4 Pro API pricing ($0.435 input / $0.87 output per million tokens) is significantly lower than frontier models. tokenpatch uses V4 Pro as the default BYOK executor. DeepSeek has announced plans to raise pricing — verify current pricing before budgeting.
How can I reduce AI coding token costs?
Separate judgment from execution: keep your strong model for planning and route bounded patch work to a lower-cost executor. tokenpatch measured ~77% savings vs Claude Code on a reference task. Also consider limiting context, using caching, and reviewing high-cost sessions.
Sources
- OpenAI Codex CLI: https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricingEstimate for a bounded patch task (100K input + 3K output tokens, no caching). Codex plan pricing differs from API token pricing; verify before budgeting.
- Anthropic Claude Code: https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/about-claude/pricingEstimate for a bounded patch task. Claude Code plan limits, Max plan, and enterprise contracts can differ from API token pricing.
- Cursor: https://cursor.com/pricingEstimate only. Cursor subscription and usage quotas differ from API token pricing.
- DeepSeek (standalone): https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricingDeepSeek BYOK pricing. Promotional rates and model naming can change.
- tokenpatch + DeepSeek (BYOK): https://tokenpatch.comMeasured on a typical bounded patch task (all-strong baseline ≈ $0.42). Your strong model plans; the bounded executor handles the narrow patch.
This page is regenerated weekly. All numbers are traceable to the sources above. tokenpatch — Save AI coding tokens without switching editors.