What will be minimum amount paid to take API for testing and what will be its limit?

[OsamaEid]

@omar.gits

I am developer, want to try and explore AI in Drupal, Wordpress, CMS and N8N etc, Every platform now asked for API keys, I am bit confused in some things will be great if community helps me in these questions

1. What the minimum amount I have to add in my account to use API for my projects for learning like in Drupal, N8N etc. I heard its 5 USD is that true?
2. Is that amount or API will have expiry ? if that then how long it will expire?
3. let if i recharged 5$ how long it can use it? Tier 1 %5 paid then how long i can use that? is that per usage? where the usage limit?
4. If i take Tier 1 api then does i can use text and images both?

will be great if community guide me in this, regards

To start using OpenAI’s API, you need to add credits to your account, with the minimum usually being $5. These credits are consumed based on your actual usage, whether for text or image generation, and they remain valid for up to one year. There is no fixed expiry in terms of days; they last until you use them or reach the one-year limit. Tier levels mainly affect initial usage limits and request rates, but once your account is verified, you can freely use your balance across any supported API features. For learning and experimentation, it is recommended to log your requests and responses yourself so you can track usage, manage costs, and explore integrations across different platforms safely.