Self-host vs API — at what volume does renting a GPU win?
Open-weight models can run on rented GPUs (~$1–$4/hr for an A100 / H100) or via per-token APIs. Plug in your numbers; we'll show the breakeven curve.
Monthly input tokens
30,000,000
@ 1,000,000/day
Monthly output tokens
15,000,000
@ 500,000/day
Self-host GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
needs 21 GB VRAM
Self-host monthly
$87
24/7 on cheapest provider
API pricing — cheapest first
Monthly bill at 30,000,000 input + 15,000,000 output tokens.
| Provider | $/M in | $/M out | Monthly | vs self-host | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.484 | $0.03 | $14.97 | −$72.22 | Open → |
Self-host on Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
Cheapest fitting GPU for Llama Guard 3 8B at FP16. Live at Vast.ai at $0.121/hr → $87/month at 24/7 utilisation.
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