GPT-6.1 Terra Is Here: OpenAI Cuts API Prices in Half for AI That Uses Your Computer
OpenAI launched GPT-6.1 Terra, a cheaper, faster model built for computer use. Here are the prices, benchmarks, how it compares to Sol, Astra and Claude, and who should switch.
The short answer
GPT-6.1 Terra is OpenAI's new mid-size model, launched October 26, 2026, and built for computer-use tasks like filling forms and entering invoices. It costs $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens, 50% less than GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol, and OpenAI says it finishes tasks over 3x faster.
OpenAI launched GPT-6.1 Terra, a cheaper, faster model built for computer use. Here are the prices, benchmarks, how it compares to Sol, Astra and Claude, and who should switch.
01 / The story
The story
What is GPT-6.1 Terra?
GPT-6.1 Terra is a mid-size OpenAI model announced on October 26, 2026. OpenAI says it's "built for computer use": the model looks at a screen and operates software, like a person clicking and typing.
It replaces GPT-5.6 Terra. OpenAI's example tasks are everyday office work: drafting proposals, reading technical drawings, filling out forms, editing videos and entering invoice details into accounting software.
How much does GPT-6.1 Terra cost?
| Token type | Price per 1M tokens |
|---|---|
| Input | $1.00 |
| Cached input | $0.05 |
| Output | $5.00 |
- 50%: how much cheaper GPT-6.1 Terra's standard API price is than GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol.
Developers can call it now as `gpt-6.1-terra`. In ChatGPT it's available to Plus, Pro, Enterprise and Edu subscribers in ChatGPT Work and Codex. OpenAI hasn't said whether it will reach the free tier.
How good is it?
These are OpenAI's own figures, so treat them as claims until independent tests arrive.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Agents' Last Exam (professional computer tasks) | 15 points higher than GPT-5.6 Terra, at about one-third the cost |
| Terminal-Bench 4.0 (coding agents, max effort) | 50.3%, up from 21.5% for GPT-5.6 Terra |
| Factual errors, low effort | 16.7%, down from 53.6% |
| Factual errors, max effort | 4.3% |
| Speed on tasks | 3x+ faster than GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol |
How does it compare with Claude?
OpenAI claims that against Claude Opus 5.5 at maximum effort, Terra is over 3x more token-efficient and costs about one-fourth as much per token, roughly 9x cheaper per task. Anthropic hasn't responded to those figures, and independent benchmarks aren't out yet. Price-performance claims from launch day often shift once others test them.
When should you use Terra, Sol or Astra?
| GPT-6.1 Terra | GPT-6.1 Sol / GPT-6 Astra | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Computer use, office tasks, high-volume agents | The hardest coding and reasoning |
| Price | Lowest of the three | Higher |
| Speed | Fastest on tasks | Slower |
| OpenAI's recommendation | Default for agent work | Complex coding work |
Is it safe?
OpenAI's system card rates Terra at the "Critical" cybersecurity threshold in its Preparedness Framework, so it keeps the safeguards built for GPT-6 Astra. OpenAI also says it resists prompt injection better than GPT-5.6 Terra. That matters for computer use, where a malicious web page can try to give an agent hidden instructions.
Should you switch?
GPT-6.1 Terra
Advantages
- half the price
- much faster
- big drop in factual errors
- built for real office tasks
Limitations
- not OpenAI's top pick for complex coding
- benchmarks are self-reported
- free-tier access unclear
The bottom line
GPT-6.1 Terra pushes the AI price war into agent work. If you run AI that operates software at scale, it may cut your bill in half. Just test it on your own tasks before trusting the launch-day charts.
A closer look
Editorial notes
Key takeaways
- API price: $1 input, $0.05 cached input, $5 output per million tokens.
- That's half the price of GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol.
- OpenAI says it completes tasks more than 3x faster than GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol.
- Big accuracy gains: factual errors at low effort fell from 53.6% to 16.7%.
- For the hardest coding work, OpenAI still recommends Sol or Astra.
Keep learning
Further reading
- Introducing GPT-6.1 Terra
External resource · OpenAI · Oct 26, 2026 · Checked 2026-10-27 Opens in a new tab.
- OpenAI Launches GPT-6.1 Terra With API Pricing 50% Lower Than GPT-5.6 Terra
Primary documentation · gHacks · Oct 27, 2026 · Checked 2026-10-27 Checked See individual source records. Opens in a new tab.
- OpenAI launches GPT-6.1 Terra with 3x faster AI agents, 50% lower pricing
Primary documentation · BleepingComputer · Checked 2026-10-27 Checked See individual source records. Opens in a new tab.
- OpenAI Launches GPT-6.1 Terra, Halving GPT-6.1 Sol's API Price for Agent Work
Primary documentation · MarkTechPost · Oct 26, 2026 · Checked 2026-10-27 Checked See individual source records. Opens in a new tab.
Qlauson
Publisher
Qlauson covers news, updates and innovations across tech, AI, software and gaming.
Read next
Anthropic Files for IPO: $16.3B Revenue, an $80.7B Loss and the AI Risks It Had to Disclose
Anthropic publicly filed its S-1 to list on Nasdaq as ANT. Here's what the filing reveals about its revenue, its $80.7 billion loss, its compute bills and the safety incidents it had to disclose.
Continue reading