OpenAI · language model
GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k: pricing, context and benchmarks
GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k is OpenAI's model released on August 28, 2023. It costs $3 per million input tokens and $4 per million output tokens, with a 16.4K-token context window. No independent score has been published for it so far.
What you need to know about GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k
OpenAI, based in United States, put GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k online on August 28, 2023. It accepts text as input and produces text. Its context window reaches 16,385 tokens, larger than 4 % of the models in the registry, and it can write up to 4,096 tokens in one go.
Released more than 3 years ago, it belongs to a generation most vendors have since superseded.
GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k pricing
On OpenRouter, GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k costs $3 per million input tokens and $4 per million output tokens. Counting three tokens read for every token written, its average price is $3.25 per million, more expensive than 78 % of paid models (4.3 times the median of $0.76).
A concrete example: a task that sends 2,000 tokens (about 1,500 words) and receives a 500-token answer costs $0.008. At 1,000 tasks a day, budget $240 a month. The price calculator redoes this with your own volumes.
Performance and benchmarks
Epoch AI does not yet publish a capabilities index for GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k. We therefore show no made-up performance rating: only price, context and features count towards its score.
Features, privacy and local use
- It supports tool calling, so it can drive an AI agent, call APIs or MCP servers.
- It can answer in an enforced JSON format (structured outputs).
- Its knowledge stops at September 2021.
Its weights are not published: it can only be used through the OpenAI API or a broker such as OpenRouter, which means sending your data off your machines.
Other OpenAI models
| Model | Released | Avg. price | ECI |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6.1 Sol | Sep 29, 2026 | $4 | 168.4 |
| GPT-6.1 Sol Pro | Sep 29, 2026 | $4 | — |
| GPT-6 Sol | Sep 22, 2026 | $4 | 163.7 |
| GPT-6 Luna | Sep 22, 2026 | $0.2 | 156.8 |
| GPT-6 Luna Pro | Sep 22, 2026 | $0.2 | — |
| GPT-6 Sol Pro | Sep 22, 2026 | $4 | — |
| GPT-6 Astra | Sep 4, 2026 | $20 | 168.8 |
| GPT-6 Astra Pro | Sep 4, 2026 | $20 | — |
Verdict
Computed score: 27/100, from public data (performance, price, context, features).
Strengths
- Agent-ready: tool calling and structured JSON output.
Limitations
- Short context (16.4K tokens): long documents must be split.
- No independent score published: performance cannot be verified.
- Older generation, often replaced by a newer model from the same vendor.
- Text only: reads neither images nor files.
Avoid if…
- you process large volumes on a tight budget;
- your data must not leave your servers;
- you analyse long documents in one go.
Alternatives
Comparisons and tools
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
How much does GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k cost?
$3 per million input tokens and $4 per million output tokens on OpenRouter (checked October 25, 2026). A task with 2,000 tokens read and 500 written costs $0.008.
How big is GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k's context window?
16,385 tokens, roughly 12,000 words, with a maximum of 4,096 output tokens.
Can GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k run locally?
No, OpenAI does not publish its weights: it is API-only.
Is GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k suitable for an AI agent?
Technically yes: it supports tool calling and structured outputs. Then check its cost for your volume.
What are the alternatives to GPT-3.5 Turbo 16k?
The closest models on price and performance are Magnum v4 72B, Nano Banana 2.1, and Mixtral 8x22B Instruct.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score