OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra hits OpenRouter: $10/$50 per million tokens, 1M context
GPT-6 Astra on OpenRouter
OpenAI's flagship model GPT-6 Astra is now available on OpenRouter, priced at $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens. It features a 1M token context window, supports tool calling and structured outputs, and is optimized for long-horizon agentic tasks like computer and browser use. OpenRouter routes requests across providers including OpenAI and Azure, offering automatic failover and competitive pricing.
GPT-6 Astra is OpenAI's flagship model for demanding end-to-end work, with particular strengths in long-horizon agentic tasks that involve computer and browser use.
- simonw
I posted this in the other Astra thread but it's just fallen off the homepage, so...
Pelicans from Astra, plus 5.6 Sol, Terra, Luna for comparison: https://static.simonwillison.net/static/2026/gpt-6-and-5.6-p...
I think this is a genuinely interesting comparison grid. Astra may be more expensive, but if you have a budget of 10 cents for a Pelican Astra low gives you something SO much better than the other models.
Astra uses less tokens overall too, for better results.
Astra transcript here: https://tools.simonwillison.net/markdown-svg-renderer?url=ht...
- upcoming-sesame
Any tips on using Astra as orchestrator with Luna workers efficiently in codex?
- jjcm
It's ability to handle non-90 degree cutouts and shapes for web dev is one of the best I've seen. The vision model on this is VERY capable.
Here's an image design source of truth: https://image.non.io/78f4cd8b-2560-4643-9a51-96a89171f994.we...
And here's the page it build from it: https://image.non.io/e7d3a9e5-f9df-4fd8-b79f-1f90280f978f.we...
Note the flowing svg lines, and how accurately it recreated them. Here's Opus 5 for comparison - you can really see how while Astra really recreated the flow that was in the original design, opus only got the general vibe: https://image.non.io/dfe13de0-4487-431f-8b69-544ff3030dac.we...
One thing I will say is you are paying for quality. That site build cost $24 - extremely non-trivial for a simple frontend.
- XCSme
That's some crazy SVG generation:
https://aibenchy.com/compare/openai-gpt-6-astra-high/google-...
It took a while to test it, initially OpenRouter was giving Not Found errors for this model ID.
- 1saadcodes
The higher price seems less important if it actually gets the job done with fewer tokens. I'm still very worried that this will end up coming back to bite us, by becoming more expensive once they inevitably nerf it. Every major model provider does that now after all
- kingstnap
Its also available finally to Pro users! Just took 24 hours.
- MisterMunchkin
$10/$50 is incredibly expensive compared to Chinese models which are cents.
I think they’re really going to struggle selling these models long-term. My company is already massively cutting down on access because they’ve realised most people don’t actually produce any value using it. All the tokenmaxers have ruined it for the rest of us now that accounting have seen the costs.
- sumedh
Just got access to it on Plus plan in Australia. 2 Banked resets as well.