the price12 / 14
Estimate cost
A quote for a model and its settings, plus whether the balance covers it. Generates nothing.
apipod-estimate-costSKILL.md on GitHub
When to use it, and when not to
when to use it
- The user asks "how much" before deciding whether to make something.
- The user gave a budget and needs to know which models fit inside it.
- Two or more models are on the table and the difference in price matters.
not for
- apipod-budget — The budget is fixed and the question is which combination of settings fits, not one price.
- apipod-generate-video — The user already approved a cost and wants the clip.
procedure
5 skillsWhat the skill does, in order.
- 01
Resolve the model
An explicit name from the user, or list_models({ category }) and pick the candidates being chosen between. One quote per candidate, not per model in the catalog.
- 02
Find the fields that drive price
get_model_params tells you which fields move the number — duration, resolution, quality, n, audio flags. Dimensions you omit fall back to the model's defaults, so say which settings the quote assumes.
- 03
Quote with dimensions as strings
estimate_cost takes a string map, e.g. { duration: "10", resolution: "1080p" } or { n: "4", quality: "2K" }. Set has_video_input when a reference video will be supplied — some models bill it extra.
- 04
Read the whole answer, not just the price
estimated_usd, balance_usd, sufficient, and is_pre_deduct. When is_pre_deduct is true the model bills by actual usage: the estimate is reserved and settled after completion — tell the user that.
- 05
Answer one line per option, cheapest first
Model, settings, price, whether the balance covers it. For comparisons, note what the cheaper option gives up — resolution, duration cap, native audio.
try it
Send it from here
example request
How much would a 10-second 1080p Seedance clip cost me, and does my balance cover it?
The buttons open a new chat with this prompt prefilled. If APIPod is not connected yet, the prompt tells your assistant to stop and help you connect first. In Claude Code or a terminal, copy the prompt instead.
Not set up yet? Wiring guides for Claude, ChatGPT, Codex and more →
call trace
list_models (category: "video")
→ seedance listed
get_model_params (duration: "10" ✓ · 1080p)
→ checked against the enum
estimate_cost (model · dimensions)
→ $— · $— · sufficient
Illustrative: the tools this skill runs, in order, for the request on the left. Prices appear the way estimate_cost returns them live — this page itself quotes nothing.
what it will not do
The rules it holds itself to.
01
Never generate "to check the real price". The estimate uses the same pricing as generation.
02
Never invent a price for a model or setting that estimate_cost rejected. Report the error and ask what to adjust.
03
Do not quote pricing.md or memory when the tool is available — the tool applies the user's own discounts.