OpenAI Moderation API review
A free moderation API for text and image safety checks.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
OpenAI Moderation API is a cloud-based API for developers building applications that need automated checks for potentially harmful content. It classifies standalone text and image inputs, returns category-level violation flags and per-category confidence scores, and reports which input types apply to each category. Applications can use these signals to filter content, enforce their own policies, or route cases for review.
The published Free plan is available to OpenAI API users, and usage does not count toward monthly usage limits. The API supports standalone moderation requests through the moderation endpoint, as well as moderation scores for generated model input and output. This makes it suitable for applications that need checks both before content is processed and after a model produces a response. Its API-only delivery fits teams building their own moderation workflows rather than buyers seeking a separate moderation dashboard.
Its main boundary is coverage. The API classifies text and images, while OpenAI states that the omni-moderation-latest model does not classify audio. Video moderation is also outside the listed input coverage. The API provides signals for custom policies and review routing, but policy enforcement and operational review remain part of the application design. Choose it for free, programmable text and image moderation with confidence scores and input-output checks. Consider another option if audio, video, or a built-in human-review workflow is central to your requirements.
OpenAI Moderation API pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free for OpenAI API users
- Returns category flags and per-category confidence scores
- Supports moderation for both inputs and generated outputs
- Where it doesn't
- Does not classify audio
- Does not classify video
- Policy enforcement and review routing require application logic
OpenAI Moderation API fact sheet, pricing and score →
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