# Tokens

> The chunks of text — whole words, word pieces or punctuation — that a model reads and writes; context limits and pricing are counted in them.

Source: Promptea — https://www.promptea.me/en/glossary/tokens · Language: English · Last updated: 2026-11-09

## What it means

- Definition: before a model sees your text, a tokenizer splits it into tokens. Common words are often one token; rare words, code and numbers can take several.
- Why it matters: both the context window and API pricing are measured in tokens, for the input you send and the output you receive.
- Rule of thumb: in English, a token is roughly three quarters of a word. The exact count depends on the model's tokenizer and on the language — text in Spanish or in code usually needs more tokens for the same meaning.
- How to apply it: shorter prompts and tighter context cost less and leave room for the answer; set an output limit when you only need a short reply. Use the provider's own token counter when the exact number matters.

## Example

```text
Summarize the text below in at most 120 words (about 160 tokens).
Keep: decisions, owners, deadlines. Drop: greetings, repetition.

Text:
"""[paste]"""
```

[Open in Promptea](https://www.promptea.me/en/analyzer?prompt=Summarize+the+text+below+in+at+most+120+words+%28about+160+tokens%29.%0AKeep%3A+decisions%2C+owners%2C+deadlines.+Drop%3A+greetings%2C+repetition.%0A%0AText%3A%0A%22%22%22%5Bpaste%5D%22%22%22&purpose=summarization&target=gpt)

## Frequently asked questions

### How many tokens is a page of text?

A page of about 500 English words is on the order of 650–700 tokens, but it varies by tokenizer and language. Use the provider's counter for an exact figure.

### Are input and output tokens priced the same?

Usually not: providers publish separate prices per million input and output tokens, and output is typically pricier. Check the provider's current pricing page.

## Related

- [How long should a prompt be? Prompt length for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini](https://www.promptea.me/en/guides/how-long-should-a-prompt-be)
- [Context engineering: how to structure what you give an AI for better outputs](https://www.promptea.me/en/guides/context-engineering)
- [Summarization prompts that preserve meaning (not just reduce length)](https://www.promptea.me/en/guides/summarization-prompts)
- [Context window](https://www.promptea.me/en/glossary/context-window)
- [Top-p (nucleus sampling)](https://www.promptea.me/en/glossary/top-p)