Claude Sonnet 5 Pricing:
$2 / $10 intro, $3 / $15 standard
The complete cost-per-token breakdown for Claude Sonnet 5 (released June 30, 2026): introductory pricing through August 31, 2026, standard pricing from September 1, prompt-caching rates, and the new-tokenizer caveat that changes the real math.
Introductory vs standard rates
Claude Sonnet 5 launches with promotional introductory pricing. It applies through August 31, 2026; from September 1, 2026 the standard rate takes over. Both are shown together so you never plan against a temporary price.
Introductory pricing
Through Aug 31, 2026Promotional launch pricing for all Claude Sonnet 5 usage until the intro window closes. Best treated as roughly cost-neutral versus Sonnet 4.6, not a permanent discount (see the effective-cost note below).
Standard pricing
From Sep 1, 2026The ongoing rate once the introductory period ends. Plan any longer-running or recurring workload against these numbers so budgets stay accurate past August.
Prices are Anthropic's published list rates for claude-sonnet-5, in USD per million tokens (MTok). Source: anthropic.com/news/claude-sonnet-5 and platform.claude.com docs.
Prompt-caching rates
Prompt caching cuts the cost of repeated context. Cache reads scale with the current input tier (intro or standard), while cache writes are priced as a multiple of the base input rate.
| Cache operation | Introductory | Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cache read | $0.20 / MTok | $0.30 / MTok | Reusing cached tokens |
| 5-minute cache write | 1.25x | 1.25x | 1.25x base input rate |
| 1-hour cache write | 2x | 2x | 2x base input rate |
Cache-write multipliers apply to whichever base input rate is active ($2/MTok intro or $3/MTok standard). A 5-minute write is 1.25x that base; a 1-hour write is 2x. Cache reads fall to $0.20/MTok during the intro period and $0.30/MTok at standard pricing.
The real effective cost
The sticker price only tells half the story. Claude Sonnet 5 ships a new tokenizer, and that changes how many tokens the same text consumes.
The new tokenizer uses ~30% more tokens
The same text is encoded into roughly 30% more tokens under Claude Sonnet 5's tokenizer than under Sonnet 4.6. Because billing is per token, that offsets most of the lower sticker price. The introductory $2/$10 rate is best described as roughly cost-neutral versus Sonnet 4.6's $3/$15 on identical text, NOT a flat 33% discount. Always estimate against your own real token counts.
What looks cheaper
Per-token, the intro rate ($2/$10) is about a third below Sonnet 4.6's $3/$15, and the standard rate matches Sonnet 4.6 exactly on paper.
What actually happens
Because each request carries ~30% more tokens, the effective per-request cost is higher than the sticker delta implies. Net effect: intro pricing lands close to cost-neutral versus Sonnet 4.6 for the same content.
Rate-card comparison
How Claude Sonnet 5 sits against the models it slots between and above in Anthropic's line-up. Sonnet 5 is positioned mid-tier, between Claude Haiku 4.5 and Claude Opus 4.8.
| Model | Input | Output | Context | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 5 | $3 / MTok | $15 / MTok | 1M | Mid-tier, standard rate |
| Claude Opus 4.8 | $5 / MTok | $25 / MTok | 1M | Frontier / hardest tasks |
| Fable 5 | $10 / MTok | $50 / MTok | 1M | Premium tier |
Sonnet 5 figures shown are the standard rate; the introductory rate is $2/$10 through August 31, 2026. Anthropic describes Sonnet 5 as approaching Opus 4.8 quality at roughly 40% lower price, but Opus 4.8 still leads the hardest coding, judgment, and cyber tasks.
How QCode billing works for Sonnet 5
QCode does not invent its own Sonnet 5 rate. Usage is charged proportionally to Anthropic's official list price and drawn from a single balance that spans every model.
Proportional to official price
Your Sonnet 5 usage tracks Anthropic's published rate. While the introductory window is open, that means the lower $2/$10 pricing; once standard pricing begins on September 1, 2026, billing follows the $3/$15 rate automatically.
One balance across all models
Sonnet 5, Opus 4.8, Fable 5 and every other model share the same QCode balance. Mix models freely in one project with no separate top-up or per-model quota to manage.
Cost model
Because Sonnet 5's tokenizer produces more tokens per request, watch your real token counts rather than word or character estimates when forecasting spend.
Mark your calendar: intro pricing ends Aug 31, 2026
Introductory pricing is a launch promotion with a hard end date. There is no auto-extension. If you are budgeting a workload that runs into the autumn, model it on the standard rate so there are no surprises when the switch happens.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Claude Sonnet 5 cost per token?
During the introductory period (through August 31, 2026) Claude Sonnet 5 is $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens. From September 1, 2026 the standard rate is $3 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. Cache reads are $0.20/MTok (intro) or $0.30/MTok (standard), a 5-minute cache write costs 1.25x base input, and a 1-hour cache write costs 2x base input.
When does Claude Sonnet 5 introductory pricing end?
The introductory $2/$10 per-MTok rate runs through August 31, 2026. Starting September 1, 2026 pricing moves to the standard $3/$15 per-MTok rate. The intro price is a launch promotion, not a permanent price, so plan longer-running workloads against the standard rate.
Is Claude Sonnet 5 cheaper than Claude Opus 4.8?
Yes. Claude Opus 4.8 is $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. At its standard $3/$15 rate Sonnet 5 is roughly 40% cheaper per token, and cheaper still during the intro period at $2/$10. Anthropic positions Sonnet 5 as approaching Opus 4.8 quality at a lower price, though Opus 4.8 still leads the hardest coding and judgment tasks.
Why does Claude Sonnet 5 use more tokens for the same text?
Claude Sonnet 5 ships a new tokenizer that encodes the same text into roughly 30% more tokens than Claude Sonnet 4.6. Because you are billed per token, that offsets much of the lower sticker price: the intro $2/$10 rate is best described as roughly cost-neutral versus Sonnet 4.6's $3/$15 on identical text, not a flat 33% discount. Always estimate against your own real token counts.
How does QCode bill for Claude Sonnet 5?
QCode charges proportionally to Anthropic's official Sonnet 5 rate and draws from one shared balance that works across every model. When the introductory rate is active your Sonnet 5 usage reflects the lower $2/$10 pricing; when standard pricing begins on September 1, 2026, billing tracks the $3/$15 rate. You can mix Sonnet 5, Opus 4.8, Fable 5 and other models on the same balance with no separate top-up.
Is Claude Sonnet 4.6 being retired now that Sonnet 5 is out?
No. Claude Sonnet 4.6 (claude-sonnet-4-6) remains Active with a tentative retirement no sooner than February 17, 2027. Sonnet 5 is the recommended successor and the new default, but there is no forced-migration deadline, so you can keep running Sonnet 4.6 while you evaluate the switch.
Run Claude Sonnet 5 on QCode
One balance, every model, pricing that tracks Anthropic's official rates. Start with Sonnet 5 today.