# GPT-3.5 Turbo API Rate Limits, Pricing & Performance (July 2026)

- Tool: AI API Limits & Performance Matrix
- Last updated: July 2026

## TL;DR

GPT-3.5 Turbo is not on OpenAI's current pricing table as of July 2026 — delisted and no longer recommended for any new integration. Current first-party pricing is not published. Fine-tuning is blocked for new organizations since May 7, 2026; existing org fine-tuning ends January 6, 2027. For existing integrations hitting 429 errors, the playbook below applies. Migration to GPT-4.1 nano ($0.10/$0.40/MTok, 1M context) is cheaper AND more capable.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is GPT-3.5 Turbo still available?

The gpt-3.5-turbo API endpoint remains callable as of July 2026, but the model is delisted from OpenAI's current pricing table. No official shutdown date has been announced. Fine-tuning is blocked for new organizations since May 7, 2026; existing orgs have until January 6, 2027.

### What are the GPT-3.5 Turbo rate limits?

OpenAI does not publish per-tier rate limits for GPT-3.5 Turbo as of July 10, 2026. Pre-2026 community data showed approximately 3,500 RPM / 90,000 TPM at Tier 1 (per third-party trackers — verify; may no longer apply). Check your actual limits in the OpenAI dashboard.

### What is the best replacement for GPT-3.5 Turbo?

GPT-4.1 nano ($0.10/$0.40/MTok, 1M context) is OpenAI's recommended replacement — approximately 80% cheaper on input than historical GPT-3.5 Turbo pricing and far more capable. GPT-5.4 nano ($0.20/$1.25/MTok) is the current-gen alternative. Both use the same API shape, so migration is a single model string change.

### How do I fix GPT-3.5 Turbo 429 rate limit errors?

Check the Retry-After header and wait that many seconds. GPT-3.5 Turbo historically had a high RPM ceiling, so 429s often resolve in under 20 seconds — start with a 500ms backoff. Implement exponential backoff with jitter. Long-term: migrate to GPT-4.1 nano for current-gen capacity allocation.

### When does GPT-3.5 Turbo fine-tuning end?

Self-serve fine-tuning was blocked for new organizations as of May 7, 2026. Existing organizations have until January 6, 2027 to complete fine-tuning. No deadline has been announced for the base chat API endpoint.

### Is GPT-3.5 Turbo free?

No. There is no ongoing free production tier for GPT-3.5 Turbo. A first payment of roughly $5 is required to reach Tier 1. Current pricing is not published (model is delisted).

### GPT-3.5 Turbo vs GPT-4o: which is better?

Both are legacy models as of July 2026, but GPT-4o is significantly more capable with 128K context and multimodal support (text+image), while GPT-3.5 Turbo is text-only with a 16K context cap. Neither is recommended for new projects — use GPT-4.1 nano or GPT-5.5 instead.

### Can RapidDev help migrate our GPT-3.5 Turbo integration?

Yes. RapidDev engineers handle GPT-3.5 Turbo to GPT-4.1 nano or GPT-5.x migrations including fine-tuning migration planning before the January 2027 deadline. Book a free scoping call at rapidevelopers.com/contact.

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Source: https://www.rapidevelopers.com/ai-api-limits-performance-matrix/gpt-3-5-turbo
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