What is a token and why does it matter?

A token is a chunk of text (roughly 3-4 characters in English) that an LLM processes as a single unit. API pricing is based on token count, so knowing your token usage lets you predict costs accurately and optimize prompts to save money.

Why do different models produce different token counts for the same text?

Each LLM family uses a different tokenizer vocabulary. GPT models use tiktoken (BPE-based), Claude uses its own SentencePiece variant, and Gemini has a separate tokenizer. Rare words, code, and non-English text show the biggest differences.

How can I reduce my token usage?

Remove unnecessary whitespace and filler words from prompts, use concise system messages, leverage prompt caching where available, and consider switching to a cheaper model tier for simple tasks.

AI Token Counter & API Cost Calculator

Different LLMs tokenize text differently — the same paragraph can be 150 tokens in GPT-5.5 and 170 in Claude 4.7 Opus. This universal token counter analyzes your text against every major model's tokenizer so you know exactly what you'll pay before making a single API call.