Compare low-cost LLM API models for UK teams by input price, output price, context window, capabilities, source, and production fit.
The lowest sticker price is a weak starting point. Cheap models work well for classification, short summaries, routing, and bulk drafts. They break down when the task needs careful reasoning or long agent runs. Match the model to the job first, then look at input and output rates. The table below carries price, context, capability, and provider source for every candidate — run your numbers through /tools/llm-cost-calculator and /pricing before production.
Source basis: NextModel curated catalog, provider public pricing, and OpenRouter metadata when available. · Updated 2026-08-05
How to use this shortlist
Blended price
Start with the shortlist, then test real prompts and compare monthly cost before production routing.
FLUX.2 Flex via NextModel: context unpublished; $0.2 / image in / — out per 1M tokens. Capabilities: streaming, vision.
FLUX.2 PRO via NextModel: context unpublished; $0.075 / image in / — out per 1M tokens. Capabilities: streaming, vision.
Doubao Seedance 2.0 via NextModel: context unpublished; $0.148 / s in / — out per 1M tokens. Capabilities: streaming, vision.
Doubao Seedance 2.0 Fast via NextModel: context unpublished; $0.119 / s in / — out per 1M tokens. Capabilities: streaming, vision.
Comparison table
Use this view when narrowing a production shortlist, building a fallback policy, or comparing model economics.
| Model | Provider | Input | Output | Context | Capabilities | Best for | Latency | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLUX.2 Flexblack-forest-labs/FLUX.2-flex | Black Forest Labs | $0.2 / image | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| FLUX.2 PROblack-forest-labs/FLUX.2-pro | Black Forest Labs | $0.075 / image | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Doubao Seedance 2.0doubao/doubao-seedance-2-0-260128 | Doubao | $0.148 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Doubao Seedance 2.0 Fastdoubao/doubao-seedance-2-0-fast-260128 | Doubao | $0.119 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Doubao Seedance 2.0 minidoubao/doubao-seedance-2-0-mini-260615 | Doubao | $0.0738 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Doubao Seedance 2.5doubao/doubao-seedance-2-5-260628 | Doubao | $0.225 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Dreamina-Seedance 2.0dreamina/dreamina-seedance-2-0-260128 | Dreamina | $0.153 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
| Dreamina-Seedance 2.0 Fastdreamina/dreamina-seedance-2-0-fast-260128 | Dreamina | $0.122 / s | — | — | StreamingVision | image understanding, multimodal chat | 0-0ms | Catalog | Platform curated |
FAQ
It depends on FX and how long answers are. In CNY production entries, Doubao Seed 2.0 Mini is usually the lowest here.
No. Use cheap models for repeatable, low-risk work. Keep a stronger model for hard answers, coding agents, and anything you would be embarrassed to ship wrong.
Route easy requests to the cheap model, cache repeated prefixes when it is safe, and keep one OpenAI-compatible base URL. The calculator at /tools/llm-cost-calculator is a quick way to sanity-check the savings.
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