---
title: OpenAI
slug: openai
url: "https://toolweight.com/tools/openai"
homepage: "https://openai.com"
categories: llm-apis
last_verified: 2026-11-07
dataset_version: 0738be72
license: CC-BY-4.0
---

# OpenAI

> GPT models plus audio, images and embeddings on one bill

- The broadest first-party surface: text, reasoning, realtime audio, image generation, embeddings, moderation and a hosted agent runtime, one key
- The Responses API is the current front door and carries most agentic features
- Its request format is the category's lingua franca, imitated by nearly every competitor and router

## Identity

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Name | OpenAI |
| Company | OpenAI |
| One-liner | GPT models plus audio, images and embeddings on one bill |
| Site | https://openai.com |
| Docs | https://platform.openai.com/docs |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Funding | Late-stage private |
| Open source | No |
| Compared in | 1 |

## Where it is compared

### [LLM APIs](https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis)
Ranked **#3 of 18** on default weights.
| Field | Value | Confidence | Verified | Source | Note | Permalink |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flagship model | GPT-5.6 Sol (gpt-5.6-sol) | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models | OpenAI's frontier model for complex professional work; alias `gpt-5.6`. Ships flagships faster than this page's cadence, so verify the current top model before quoting. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--flagship_model |
| Context window | 1,050,000 tokens | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | Input context. Output is capped separately at 128K, so this column carries the input half to compare like for like against the input-only windows every other row publishes. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--context_window |
| Max output | 128,000 tokens | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | Output cap on gpt-5.6-sol, separate from the 1.05M input window. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--max_output |
| Image input | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | gpt-5.6-sol input modalities are text and image. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--vision |
| Audio in/out | ◐ | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | The flagship gpt-5.6-sol is text/image in, text out; audio is served by the separate Realtime API and transcription/TTS models. This column grades a capability delivered through a sibling model line as partial. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--audio_io |
| Open weights | ◐ | Vendor-claimed | 2026-01-15 | https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-oss/ | gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b released under Apache 2.0 in August 2025. The flagship remains closed. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--open_weights |
| OpenAI-compat API | ● | Inferred | 2026-01-15 | - | It is the reference implementation, though the newer Responses API is where the agentic features live. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--openai_compatible |
| TTFT p50 | - | Unknown | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--ttft_p50 |
| Output tok/s | - | Unknown | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--throughput_tps |
| $/M input | $5/M tok | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing | gpt-5.6-sol standard rate; the Batch API halves it to $2.50/M. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--price_in |
| $/M output | $30/M tok | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing | gpt-5.6-sol standard rate; Batch API $15/M. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--price_out |
| $/M cache read | $0.5/M tok | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing | Cache reads bill 10x cheaper than input; cache writes cost 1.25x. Automatic on repeated prefixes, no request-side configuration. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--cached_input |
| Batch discount | 50% | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--batch_discount |
| Tool use | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--tool_use |
| Schema output | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-01-15 | https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/structured-outputs | Strict JSON Schema enforcement on both responses and tool parameters. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--structured_output |
| Effort control | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-01-15 | https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/reasoning | reasoning_effort parameter with graduated levels. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--reasoning_effort |
| Computer use | ◐ | Inferred | 2026-01-15 | https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/tools-computer-use | The capability exists and is documented, but it is delivered through a separate computer-use preview model rather than by the flagship named on this row, the column's definition of partial. Graded on the same basis as Google's dedicated computer-use model. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--computer_use |
| MCP support | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-5.6-sol | Remote MCP servers can be attached as a tool on the Responses API. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--mcp_support |
| Cache TTL | Automatic, ≥30 min, no configuration | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-30 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/prompt-caching | Prefixes stay eligible for reuse at least 30 minutes and may be retained longer; cache writes bill 1.25x input. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--prompt_cache_ttl |
| Continuity policy | Dated snapshots are the norm and remain callable after the alias advances, which is the strongest routine protection in the category. Retirements are announced on a public deprecations page, but the notice window has historically been shorter than Anthropic's, closer to a quarter than half a year for API snapshots, and preview models have been pulled faster still. | Inferred | 2026-01-15 | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--continuity_policy |
| Notice period | 90 days | Inferred | - | - | Observed from past API snapshot retirements; not a published guarantee, and varies by model tier. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--deprecation_notice |
| Pinnable versions | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-01-15 | https://platform.openai.com/docs/models | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--pinned_snapshots |
| Zero retention | ◐ | Inferred | 2026-01-15 | - | Default abuse-monitoring retention is 30 days; zero-retention is available to approved customers. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--zero_retention |
| Trains on your data | ○ | Vendor-claimed | 2026-01-15 | https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data | API data has not been used for training by default since March 2023. | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--trains_on_data |
| AU region | ◐ | Vendor-claimed | 2026-11-07 | https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/your-data | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--au_region |
| API since | 2020 | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--launch_year |
| Positioning | One API for text, reasoning, audio, images and embeddings | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/llm-apis#openai--positioning |

**Verdict.** The widest surface area, with audio, images and text on one bill; pinnable snapshots but shorter observed notice.

## Alternatives

- [Qwen](https://toolweight.com/tools/alibaba-qwen), Alibaba's model family, huge open-weight range, closed flagship
- [Amazon Bedrock](https://toolweight.com/tools/amazon-bedrock), Multi-vendor model access inside your existing AWS account
- [Anthropic](https://toolweight.com/tools/anthropic), Claude models, built around long agentic runs and tool use
- [Cerebras](https://toolweight.com/tools/cerebras), Wafer-scale inference, the fastest tokens per second available
- [Cohere](https://toolweight.com/tools/cohere), Enterprise-focused models built for RAG and private deployment
- [DeepSeek](https://toolweight.com/tools/deepseek), Frontier-adjacent models at a small fraction of Western prices
- [Fireworks AI](https://toolweight.com/tools/fireworks-ai), Fast open-weight inference with strong structured-output support
- [Google Gemini](https://toolweight.com/tools/google-gemini), Gemini via AI Studio for prototyping or Vertex AI for production
- [Groq](https://toolweight.com/tools/groq), Custom LPU silicon serving open-weight models at extreme speed
- [Meta Llama](https://toolweight.com/tools/meta-llama), Open-weight Llama models, hosted almost everywhere but Meta
- [Mistral AI](https://toolweight.com/tools/mistral-ai), European lab with an open-weight lineage and EU-resident hosting
- [Moonshot AI](https://toolweight.com/tools/moonshot-ai), Kimi models, open-weight agentic performance at low cost

## Logo & brand colours

SVG files: https://toolweight.com/teams/openai/logo.svg and https://toolweight.com/teams/openai/mono.svg. JSON: https://toolweight.com/api/v1/brands/openai.

| Hex | oklch |
| --- | --- |
| #000000 | oklch(0.0% 0.000 0.0) |

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