GPT-4o Mini vs GPT-5 Mini
Complete pricing and performance comparison between OpenAI's GPT-4o Mini and OpenAI's GPT-5 Mini.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
GPT-4o Mini
1.7x cheaper input, 3.3x cheaper output
Larger Context
GPT-5 Mini
400K vs 128K
Higher Quality
GPT-5 Mini
Score: 41 vs 13
Faster
GPT-5 Mini
82 vs 61 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | GPT-4o Mini | GPT-5 Mini | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.15 | $0.25 | GPT-4o Mini is 40% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $0.6 | $2 | GPT-4o Mini is 70% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 400K | 3x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 16K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | GPT-4o Mini | GPT-5 Mini | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 13 | 41 | GPT-5 Mini |
| Output Speed | 61 tok/s | 82 tok/s | GPT-5 Mini |
| Time to First Token | 0.58s | 99.18s | GPT-4o Mini |
| Value (Quality/$) | 84.0 | 164.8 | Higher = better value |
Benchmark data from Artificial Analysis. Quality Index is a composite score across reasoning, coding, and knowledge tasks.
Cost at Scale
Estimated cost at different usage levels (3:1 input-to-output token ratio, typical for chat).
| Usage | GPT-4o Mini | GPT-5 Mini | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0003 | $0.0008 | Same |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.0033 | $0.0085 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.0052 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.033 | $0.085 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.052 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $0.330 | $0.850 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.520 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $3.30 | $8.50 | GPT-4o Mini saves $5.20 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $330.00 | $850.00 | GPT-4o Mini saves $520.00 |
Pros & Cons
GPT-4o Mini Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
GPT-5 Mini Strengths
- +Larger context window (400K vs 128K)
- +Faster output (82 vs 61 tok/s)
- +Higher quality score (41 vs 13)
When to Use Each Model
Choose GPT-4o Mini for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
Choose GPT-5 Mini for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-4o Mini or GPT-5 Mini?
For input tokens, GPT-4o Mini is 1.7x cheaper at $0.15/1M tokens. For output tokens, GPT-4o Mini is 3.3x cheaper at $0.6/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), GPT-4o Mini costs $0.330 vs GPT-5 Mini at $0.850.
What's the context window difference?
GPT-4o Mini supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while GPT-5 Mini supports 400K (400,000 tokens). GPT-5 Mini can handle 3x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: GPT-4o Mini scores 13 vs GPT-5 Mini at 41. Speed: GPT-4o Mini generates 61 tok/s vs GPT-5 Mini at 82 tok/s. Time to first token: GPT-4o Mini at 0.58s vs GPT-5 Mini at 99.18s.
When should I choose GPT-4o Mini over GPT-5 Mini?
Choose GPT-4o Mini when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Lower latency (faster first token). Choose GPT-5 Mini when you need: Larger context window (400K vs 128K), Faster output (82 vs 61 tok/s), Higher quality score (41 vs 13).
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): GPT-4o Mini = $3.30, GPT-5 Mini = $8.50. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): GPT-4o Mini = $21.00, GPT-5 Mini = $45.00.