CURRENT UPGRADE CANDIDATE
Claude Opus 5.5
20% lower price · +8.8 estimated ECI vs announced successor
Claude Opus 4.1 is retired.
What replaces Claude Opus 4.1?
For a direct Anthropic API replacement for Claude Opus 4.1, compare Claude Opus 5.5 first. As of 2026-11-02, its verified Standard blended price is $8.00 per 1M tokens at a 75% input / 25% output mix. That is 20% below Claude Opus 4.8's current price, with a 8.8-point higher ECI estimate. ECI is an estimated general-capability measure; this is not a task-performance guarantee.
Historical ECI 143.9 · Current direct API price unavailable
REPLACEMENT DECISION
Replace Claude Opus 4.1 today.
Direct API prices at 75% input / 25% output. ECI is estimated general capability, not task success.
MINIMIZE COST · SAME PROVIDER
Claude Sonnet 5
Lower ECI estimate may mean a capability tradeoff.
ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED BY ANTHROPIC
Claude Opus 4.8
Historical provider guidance, retained as a reference.
Current upgrade: at least 10% cheaper, 2 more ECI points and no less published context than the announced replacement. The low-cost option retains context and clears the retired model's ECI lower bound. ECI intervals can overlap; no choice guarantees task results or API compatibility.
Replacement questions
Which replacement did Anthropic announce for Claude Opus 4.1?
Anthropic announced Claude Opus 4.8. As of 2026-11-02, its verified Standard blended price is $10.00 per 1M tokens at a 75% input / 25% output mix. This historical provider advice can differ from today's price-and-ECI screening choice. Provider notice.
Is the replacement for Claude Opus 4.1 API compatible?
API compatibility has not been verified. Check the provider's migration guidance and test your integration before switching.
Prices verified 2026-11-02; ECI snapshot 2026-11-01. Retirement applies to the Anthropic direct API; seller routes need separate evidence. Retirement notice · ECI data · Browse current models.