# Token economics

LLM costs are usage-based: (calls × tokens × price). Levers: route easy tasks to small/cheap models, cache repeated context, cap output length, batch offline work. A 10× cost difference between naive and tuned architecture is common at scale.

Canonical: https://robauto.ai/learn/ai-architecture/12

_Advanced AI Architecture: Strategy, Stack & Daily Practice — lesson 12 of 20 (PLAYBOOK)_

LLM costs are usage-based: (calls × tokens × price). Levers: route easy tasks to small/cheap models, cache repeated context, cap output length, batch offline work. A 10× cost difference between naive and tuned architecture is common at scale.

Source: [Anthropic — Pricing & model tiers](https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/about-claude/models?utm_source=robauto)

[Previous lesson](/learn/ai-architecture/11) · [Next lesson](/learn/ai-architecture/13) · [Course overview](/learn/ai-architecture) · [All courses](/learn)

---

(c) 2026 Robauto, Inc. — support@robauto.ai
Machine surfaces: https://robauto.ai/llms.txt · https://robauto.ai/llms-full.txt · https://robauto.ai/.well-known/api-catalog