# OpenAI Agents API — AI Compare Ninja

> OpenAI-hosted, managed Codex harness API for durable cloud agents with sessions, context compaction, subagents, and MCP connectivity.

## Overview
- **Category:** Development & Code (Agent & RAG frameworks)
- **Status:** Active · checked - Active.
- **Paid from:** contact sales / usage-based (Agents API (Public Beta))
- **Free access:** No free plan published
- **Website:** https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/agents-api/overview
- **Canonical URL:** https://www.aicompare.ninja/en/tool/openai-agents-api

## What it does
- OpenAI-managed Codex harness instead of building your own: sessions, compaction, and subagent orchestration run server-side
- No harness fee; billing runs through standard model token prices, tool rates, and an optional container sandbox
- MCP connectivity over HTTP for your own or third-party tools

## In brief
The OpenAI Agents API is an OpenAI-hosted, managed version of the Codex harness for durable cloud agents: sessions, context compaction, recovery, and up to four subagents run server-side, while the application supplies tools and chooses the execution environment.

There is no separate harness fee. Model tokens and tools are billed at standard API rates, with an optional hosted sandbox at container rates from $0.03 to $1.92 per 20-minute session (1 to 64 GB). Public beta since September 10, 2026, US data residency only, no Zero Data Retention.


## Limits
The Agents API manages sessions, context compaction, recovery, and up to four concurrent subagents server-side; the application supplies tools and chooses the execution environment. MCP servers connect over HTTP transport. Separate from the Agents SDK (in-app loop with full control over deployment, storage, and approvals) and from Codex/ChatGPT as an end-user product.

## Pricing tiers
| Tier | Price | Period | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agents API (Public Beta) | contact sales | usage-based | Sessions, context compaction, and recovery managed server-side; up to 4 parallel subagents; MCP connectivity over HTTP; tools billed at standard API rates; Optional hosted sandbox (hosted shell/code interpreter) at container rates: $0.03/$0.12/$0.48/$1.92 for 1/4/16/64 GB per 20-minute session, billed by the minute with a 5-minute minimum; US data residency only; no ZDR, even with a self-hosted sandbox |

## Sources
All details regarding plans, limits, and features are based on official vendor documentation and the primary sources verified below.

- https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/agents-api/overview
- https://openai.com/index/introducing-the-agents-api/
- https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/agents-api/quickstart
- https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/agents
- https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing

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*Source: AI Compare Ninja (2026) - https://www.aicompare.ninja/en/tool/openai-agents-api*