Prompt caching AI models: send the same prefix twice, pay once

Prompt caching
Services found: 147
#AI modelCapabilitiesAPI $/1M (in / out)Context windowPrice / moOutput $/1MOverviewVisit site
1

Claude Fable 5.1

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$10 / $501M tokensAPI only50View
2

GPT-6 Astra

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$10 / $501.05M tokensAPI only50View
3

GPT-6.1 Sol

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $101.05M tokensAPI only10View
4

GPT-6 Sol

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $101.05M tokensAPI only10View
5

GPT-6 Luna

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$0.1 / $0.51.05M tokensAPI only0.5View
6

Claude Opus 5.5

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$4 / $201M tokensAPI only20View
7

Claude Sonnet 5.5

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $101M tokensAPI only10View
8

Grok 4.7

xAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $6500K tokensAPI only6View
9

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash

DeepSeek
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$0.3 / $1.21M tokensAPI only1.2View
10

GLM 5.3 FlashX

Z.ai
Text & chatVisionVideo
$0.37 / $1.251M tokensAPI only1.25View
11

Ember-1

Fireworks AI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$3 / $151.04M tokensAPI only15View
12

Claude Opus 5

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$5 / $251M tokensAPI only25View
13

Claude Fable 5

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$10 / $501M tokensAPI only50View
14

GPT-5.6 Sol

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$4 / $201.05M tokensAPI only20View
15

GLM 5.3

Z.ai
Text & chatReasoningTool calling
$1.4 / $4.41.31M tokensAPI only4.4View
16

Grok 4.6

xAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $6500K tokensAPI only6View
17

Kimi K3

Moonshot AI
Text & chatVisionVideo
$3 / $151.05M tokensAPI only15View
18

GPT-5.6 Terra

OpenAI
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$2 / $121.05M tokensAPI only12View
19

Claude Opus 4.8

Anthropic
Text & chatVisionReasoning
$5 / $251M tokensAPI only25View
20

GLM 5.3 Flash

Z.ai
Text & chatVisionVideo
$0.075 / $0.251.31M tokensAPI only0.25View

Browse by need

Prompt caching stores an identical prompt prefix between calls, so repeated context is charged at a fraction of the base input rate - typically 10%, and as little as 2.5% on Claude Fable 5.1. If your application sends the same lengthy system prompt with every request, this is usually the biggest saving available to you.

147 models support it. The saving applies to input only, so the effect is largest where prompts are long and answers are short - support bots with detailed instructions, agents with big tool catalogues, RAG systems that resend the same corpus. Cache entries expire, so the economics favour high request frequency against a stable prefix.

Input onlyThe discount never touches output, so it favours long prompts and short answers.
Prefix must match exactlyOne changed character at the start invalidates the whole cached block.
Frequency beats sizeA modest prompt reused constantly saves more than a huge one called twice a day.

Models with this capability

How to choose

  • Put everything stable at the very front: system prompt, tool definitions, reference documents.
  • Keep user-specific content after the cached prefix.
  • Check the cache lifetime — short TTLs punish low-traffic applications.
  • Account for write cost: some vendors charge a premium to create the entry.

Common mistakes

Interleaving variables into the prefixA timestamp at the top of the prompt destroys the cache on every call.
Assuming it helps everywhereShort prompts gain almost nothing.

Who this suits

Agent platformsLarge tool catalogues resent with every step.
RAG systemsThe same corpus queried repeatedly by many users.
Support botsDetailed instructions in front of every short question.

Frequently asked questions

How much does caching save?

Cache reads typically cost 10% of base input, and 2.5% on Claude Fable 5.1. The saving applies to input only.

What has to stay identical?

The prefix — system prompt, tool definitions, reference documents. Anything after the cached portion can vary freely.

When is caching pointless?

Short prompts, or requests spaced far enough apart that the cache expires between them.

How much can I realistically save?

On a long stable prefix, up to 90% of the input portion of the bill.

Does caching change answers?

No. It changes billing and latency, not the computation.

Frequently searched

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