Show HN: TokenAdvisor – paste a prompt, see what to cut to lower your LLM bill (tokenadvisor.dev)

TokenAdvisor has been introduced as a valuable tool for developers seeking to reduce their costs associated with using large language models (LLMs). Since API calls to LLMs are billed by tokens—units of text—that can vary significantly in cost depending on the provider, optimizing prompts is crucial for managing expenses. TokenAdvisor reveals where tokens are being consumed and analyzes prompts to highlight patterns that lead to excessive token usage. By employing official token counting methods across major APIs—such as OpenAI's tiktoken, Anthropic's count_tokens, and Google's countTokens—it provides insights into potential savings in real terms. This tool is significant for the AI/ML community as it addresses a common challenge faced by developers when scaling LLM applications. By enabling users to identify which parts of their prompts can be trimmed and offering a clear dollar savings representation, TokenAdvisor promotes more efficient usage of LLMs. Additionally, it allows comparisons across 20+ models to find the most cost-effective option for specific prompts, thereby empowering developers to make informed decisions without the barriers of sign-up or data storage—making it a user-friendly and practical solution in the ever-evolving landscape of AI technologies.