API cost decision in 10 seconds

GPT Audio vs GPT-5.2

Pick GPT Audio for lower cost; pick GPT-5.2 only if the larger context window matters more.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick GPT Audio for lower cost; pick GPT-5.2 only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT Audio is estimated at $7.5 vs $8.75 for GPT-5.2, saving $1.25 (14.3% lower).

Cost-first pickGPT Audio
Context-first pickGPT-5.2
Sample savings$1.2514.3%
10x traffic gap$12.5

GPT-5.2 has more context, but GPT Audio saves $1.25 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $12.5. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors GPT-5.2, balanced workload favors GPT Audio, and output-heavy chatbot favors GPT Audio.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGPT AudioGPT-5.2
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGPT-5.2$17.5$15.75
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGPT Audio$12.5$15.75
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGPT Audio$52.5$71.75
Cheaper input GPT-5.2 $2.5 vs $1.75 / 1M

GPT-5.2 is $0.75 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).

Cheaper output GPT Audio $10 vs $14 / 1M

GPT Audio is $4 cheaper per 1M output tokens (28.6% lower; 1.4x difference).

Larger context GPT-5.2 128K vs 400K

GPT-5.2 has 272K more context (3.12x larger).

Sample workload GPT Audio $7.5 vs $8.75

GPT Audio is $1.25 cheaper on the standard workload (14.3% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
GPT Audio Calculating… Estimated API cost
GPT-5.2 Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

GPT-5.2 has the lower input price; GPT Audio has the lower output price; GPT-5.2 offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GPT Audio is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $7.5 for GPT Audio and $8.75 for GPT-5.2.

Best Fit

Choose GPT Audio when you care most about lower output-token price.

Choose GPT-5.2 when you care most about lower input-token price, and larger context window.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT Audio is estimated at $7.5 vs $8.75 for GPT-5.2, saving $1.25 (14.3% lower).
  • GPT Audio is $1.25 cheaper on the standard workload (14.3% lower).
  • GPT-5.2 is $0.75 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).
  • GPT Audio is $4 cheaper per 1M output tokens (28.6% lower; 1.4x difference).
  • GPT-5.2 has 272K more context (3.12x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureGPT Audio
(OpenAI)		GPT-5.2
(OpenAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$2.5$1.75
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$10$14
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$7.5$8.75
Context Window128K400K
Release Date

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGPT AudioOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT Audio is estimated at $7.5 vs $8.75 for GPT-5.2, saving $1.25 (14.3% lower).
High-volume input processingGPT-5.2Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGPT AudioLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGPT-5.2A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • gpt-oss-120b (free) can replace GPT Audio when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace GPT Audio when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace GPT Audio when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace GPT Audio when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
Larger context near this budget
  • Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 sample workload cost.
  • Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent offers 2M context with $5 sample workload cost.
  • Grok 4.20 offers 2M context with $2.5 sample workload cost.
  • GPT-5.4 offers 1.05M context with $10 sample workload cost.

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

Open cheapest models

Larger context alternatives

Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.

Open largest context models

Provider catalogs

Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.

Open provider hubs

OpenAI catalog

Review all tracked OpenAI models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

Open OpenAI models
GPT Audio

The gpt-audio model is OpenAI's first generally available audio model. The new snapshot features an upgraded decoder for more natural sounding voices and maintains better voice consistency. Audio is priced...

GPT-5.2

GPT-5.2 is the latest frontier-grade model in the GPT-5 series, offering stronger agentic and long context perfomance compared to GPT-5.1. It uses adaptive reasoning to allocate computation dynamically, responding quickly...