🚀 Before You Begin
Alright, let’s talk about something important before we dive in: costs and setup. 💸
OpenAI’s API it’s not free. Don’t worry though—I’ll help you avoid unexpected bills and get started safely.
💰 How Much Does This Actually Cost?
Section titled “💰 How Much Does This Actually Cost?”Here’s the honest truth:
- Every time you send a message to the API, it costs a tiny bit of money.
(Think: $0.001 per message—but it can add up if you’re not careful.)
Some developers accidentally spend $200 or more during testing because they didn’t understand the pricing. Let’s make sure that’s not you. 😅
What You’ll Need to Start:
Section titled “What You’ll Need to Start:”- ✅ At least $5 in credits in your OpenAI account
- ✅ A verified phone number
- ✅ A valid credit card (or payment method)
Tip: Start with the budget-friendly model gpt-4o-mini (super cheap!) and move up only when needed.
🚧 A Few Things to Watch Out For
Section titled “🚧 A Few Things to Watch Out For”🌍 Country Restrictions
Section titled “🌍 Country Restrictions”Depending on where you live, you might not have access to certain models or features.
👉 Check OpenAI’s supported countries here
🧱 Usage Tiers
Section titled “🧱 Usage Tiers”As you spend more with OpenAI, more features unlock. But don’t worry—Tier 1 is perfect for learning.
| Tier | Spend | Access Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5+ | Basic features, 500 requests/minute |
| 2 | $50+ | More models and faster limits |
| 3 | $100+ | Full access, best performance |
🛡️ How to Avoid Surprise Charges
Section titled “🛡️ How to Avoid Surprise Charges”You can (and should!) protect yourself with spending limits.
Do this right now:
Section titled “Do this right now:”- Go to Billing Limits
- Set a monthly cap (e.g. $20 is perfect for learning)
- Add a notification at 50% so you stay aware
Pro Tip: Create a separate account just for learning. That way, you won’t mix test costs with production.
✅ What You Need Before Moving On
Section titled “✅ What You Need Before Moving On”Technical Setup:
Section titled “Technical Setup:”- Basic JavaScript knowledge (functions, async/await)
- Node.js installed (we’ll walk through it)
- A code editor (we recommend VS Code)
- You’re okay using a terminal or command line
OpenAI Account Setup:
Section titled “OpenAI Account Setup:”- You’ve created your account at platform.openai.com
- Verified your phone number
- Added a payment method
- Added at least $5 in credits
- Set a spending limit
Quick Check-In:
Section titled “Quick Check-In:”If you can create a new Node.js project and install packages with npm, you’re 100% good to go. 👍
💡 Tips to Keep Costs Low While Learning
Section titled “💡 Tips to Keep Costs Low While Learning”- Use
gpt-4o-minifor most testing (it’s crazy cheap) - Keep prompts short and clear to avoid back-and-forth
- Use the Playground to experiment before writing full code
- Check your usage dashboard regularly
🎉 You’re Almost There!
Section titled “🎉 You’re Almost There!”👉 Next Up: Getting the OpenAi Key – Let’s get something working!