Kimi API Pricing — All Plans and Costs Compared 2026
Quick Answer
Kimi API pricing starts at $0.14 per million input tokens for the K2 model and $1.40 for K2.5. Both models offer free tier access. Nvidia provides completely free K2.5 access via its API Catalog. Kimi k2 api pricing is among the most competitive in the industry — up to 94% cheaper than GPT-4o.
What is Kimi API Pricing
Kimi API pricing uses a pay-as-you-go token-based model, identical to how OpenAI and Anthropic charge. You pay per token consumed, with separate rates for input tokens (your prompts) and output tokens (model responses). There are no setup fees, no minimum commitments, and generous free tier allocations for new developers.
Full Kimi API Pricing Table
| Model | Input (per 1M tokens) | Output (per 1M tokens) | Context Window | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi K2.5 | $1.40 | $4.20 | 128K | Yes |
| Kimi K2.5 Thinking | $1.40 | $4.20 | 128K | Yes |
| Kimi K2 | $0.14 | $0.42 | 128K | Yes |
| Kimi K2 Instruct | $0.14 | $0.42 | 128K | Yes |
Prices as of June 2026. Pricing may vary — check platform.moonshot.cn for current rates.
Kimi API Pricing vs Competitors
How does kimi api price compare to other leading AI API providers?
| Provider | Model | Input/1M | Output/1M | Savings vs GPT-4o |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi API | K2.5 | $1.40 | $4.20 | 44% cheaper |
| Kimi API | K2 | $0.14 | $0.42 | 94% cheaper |
| OpenAI | GPT-4o | $2.50 | $10.00 | Baseline |
| Anthropic | Claude Sonnet 4 | $3.00 | $15.00 | -20% more |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | $1.25 | $10.00 | 50% cheaper (input) |
Free Tier Details
Kimi api offers two paths to free access:
- Moonshot Platform Free Tier — New accounts receive starter credits upon registration. Limited RPM (requests per minute) and daily token caps apply.
- Nvidia NIM Free Access — Nvidia's API Catalog provides free K2.5 access with no credit card required and generous rate limits.
For complete free tier details, see our Free Kimi API Access guide.
How Kimi API Pricing Works
Kimi api cost is calculated based on tokens consumed:
- Input tokens — Your system prompt + user messages. Counted before the model generates a response.
- Output tokens — The model's response. Counted after generation is complete.
- Billing — Charges are per-request, aggregated into your monthly statement.
- No minimums — Pay only for what you use. Stop anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kimi API
Is Kimi API free?
Kimi API offers a free tier with limited tokens per month for new accounts. Nvidia also provides free access to K2.5 through its API Catalog with no credit card required. Paid usage begins only after free tier limits are reached.
How much does Kimi K2.5 API cost per million tokens?
Kimi K2.5 API costs $1.40 per million input tokens and $4.20 per million output tokens as of June 2026. This makes it approximately 44% cheaper than GPT-4o for input tokens and 58% cheaper for output tokens.
What is the cheapest Kimi API model?
Kimi K2 is the cheapest model at $0.14 per million input tokens and $0.42 per million output tokens. This is one of the most affordable commercial LLM APIs available, making it suitable for high-volume applications.
Does Kimi API have enterprise pricing?
Yes. Moonshot AI offers enterprise plans with volume discounts, custom rate limits, dedicated support, and SLA guarantees. Contact Moonshot AI directly through platform.moonshot.cn for enterprise pricing quotes.
How does Kimi API pricing compare to OpenAI?
Kimi K2.5 is approximately 44% cheaper than GPT-4o for input tokens. Kimi K2 is 94% cheaper than GPT-4o. Both models offer competitive performance at significantly lower price points, making Kimi API one of the best value propositions for AI APIs.
Are there any hidden fees with Kimi API?
No. Kimi API pricing is transparent with pay-as-you-go token-based billing. You are charged only for tokens consumed. There are no setup fees, minimum commitments, or platform fees. Free tier usage has no charges whatsoever.
Summary
Kimi API pricing is among the most competitive in the AI API market, with K2 offering GPT-4-class capabilities at just $0.14 per million input tokens. Whether you're a solo developer or an enterprise team, the kimi api has a pricing tier that fits. Start free with our free access guide or explore how to get started.