OpenAI vs Vertex AI: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of OpenAI and Vertex AI. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: OpenAI starts at Custom pricing and Vertex AI starts at $2/mo. Compare all 20 pricing tiers side by side.
Last updated: July 6, 2026
OpenAI - OpenAI offers a free plan.
OpenAI vs Vertex AI: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | OpenAI | Vertex AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Custom pricing | $2/mo |
| Number of Plans | 8 | 12 |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
OpenAI and Vertex AI are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible AI & ML tools. Together they offer 20 pricing plans with 0 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.
OpenAI stands out with a free plan for getting started.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your AI & ML needs.
| Pricing Plans |  OpenAI Try free |  Vertex AI Try free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | How does ChatGPT’s pricing work? Custom pricing | cached Custom pricing |
| Tier 2 | Is ChatGPT free to use? $0/monthCheapest | $14 per 1,000 search queries $14/month |
| Tier 3 | Does OpenAI offer a ChatGPT plan for educational institutions? Custom pricing | $14 per 1,000 queries $14/monthCheapest |
| Tier 4 | Does OpenAI offer a discount for nonprofits? Custom pricing | Gemini 2.0 Flash $2/monthCheapest |
| Tier 5 | How many users are supported on each subscription plan? Custom pricing | $45 per 1,000 grounded prompts $45/monthCheapest |
| Tier 6 | What are my payment options? Custom pricing | $25 per 1,000 grounded prompts $25/monthCheapest |
| Tier 7 | How secure is ChatGPT? Custom pricing | Gemini Flash Custom pricing |
| Tier 8 | How does ChatGPT use my data? Custom pricing | $35 per 1,000 grounded prompts $35/monthCheapest |
| Tier 9 | - | Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 10 | - | Open Source Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 11 | - | Duration Custom pricing |
| Tier 12 | - | $10 per 1000 searches $10/monthCheapest |
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Frequently Asked Questions: OpenAI vs Vertex AI
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Sources
- OpenAI Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- Vertex AI Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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