AI cost

True cost of running an LLM workflow in 2026

The sticker price per token is the smallest line in your LLM bill. Once you add retries, embeddings, vector reads, orchestration, and the platform margin, a "simple" agent workflow lands around $0.42 per run — roughly 4× the raw model cost. This breakdown shows where the money actually goes and which three levers cut a workflow bill the fastest without touching quality.