Perplexity API vs MiniMax API
LLM API Providers pricing comparison · 2026
Perplexity API pricing ranges from $1–$15/per million tokens + per-request fee, while MiniMax API ranges from $0.2–$3/per million tokens. MiniMax API is typically 67% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
LLM API Providers
Perplexity API
$1–$15
/per million tokens + per-request fee
Full pricing breakdown →
VS
Perplexity API and MiniMax API both operate in the llm api providers category. This page compares their list pricing.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Perplexity API | MiniMax API |
|---|---|---|
| Sonar | Custom | Custom |
| Sonar Pro | Custom | Custom |
| Sonar Reasoning Pro | Custom | — |
| Sonar Deep Research | Custom | — |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
Perplexity API
3 scenarios$2/month ($1 input + $1 output per 1M tokens, via OpenRouter)
Light Usage: Sonar (1M tokens/month)
$18/month ($3 input + $15 output per 1M tokens, via OpenRouter)
Mid-Volume: Sonar Pro (1M tokens/month)
$10/month ($2 input + $8 output per 1M tokens, via OpenRouter)
Reasoning Workload: Sonar Reasoning Pro (1M tokens/month)
MiniMax API
3 scenariosApproximately $0.41/month ($0.11 input + $0.30 output at M2.5 rates)
Light API Usage (1M tokens/month)
Approximately $51.75/month ($21.75 input at $0.29/1M + $30 output at $1.20/1M)
Mid-Scale Application (100M tokens/month)
Approximately $85/month ($30 input at $0.40/1M + $55 output at $2.20/1M)
Flagship Model (MiniMax M1, 100M tokens/month)
Contract Terms
| Term | Perplexity API | MiniMax API |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | No | — |
| Cancellation | N/A — pay-as-you-go, no subscription required | — |
| Minimum commitment | None | — |
| Price escalation | No published schedule; no mid-cycle price increase reported in sources | — |
| Can downgrade | Yes | — |