GPT-4o vs o3
Complete pricing and performance comparison between OpenAI's GPT-4o and OpenAI's o3.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
o3
1.3x cheaper input, 1.3x cheaper output
Larger Context
o3
200K vs 128K
Higher Quality
o3
Score: 38 vs 17
Faster
GPT-4o
135 vs 79 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | GPT-4o | o3 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $2.5 | $2 | o3 is 20% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $10 | $8 | o3 is 20% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 200K | 2x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 100K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | GPT-4o | o3 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 17 | 38 | o3 |
| Output Speed | 135 tok/s | 79 tok/s | GPT-4o |
| Time to First Token | 0.53s | 10.83s | GPT-4o |
| Value (Quality/$) | 6.9 | 19.2 | 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 | o3 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0055 | $0.0044 | o3 saves $0.0011 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.055 | $0.044 | o3 saves $0.011 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.550 | $0.440 | o3 saves $0.110 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $5.50 | $4.40 | o3 saves $1.10 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $55.00 | $44.00 | o3 saves $11.00 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $5500.00 | $4400.00 | o3 saves $1100.00 |
Pros & Cons
GPT-4o Strengths
- +Faster output (135 vs 79 tok/s)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
o3 Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Larger context window (200K vs 128K)
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Higher quality score (38 vs 17)
When to Use Each Model
Choose GPT-4o for
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Choose o3 for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-4o or o3?
For input tokens, o3 is 1.3x cheaper at $2/1M tokens. For output tokens, o3 is 1.3x cheaper at $8/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), GPT-4o costs $5.50 vs o3 at $4.40.
What's the context window difference?
GPT-4o supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while o3 supports 200K (200,000 tokens). o3 can handle 2x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: GPT-4o scores 17 vs o3 at 38. Speed: GPT-4o generates 135 tok/s vs o3 at 79 tok/s. Time to first token: GPT-4o at 0.53s vs o3 at 10.83s.
When should I choose GPT-4o over o3?
Choose GPT-4o when you need: Faster output (135 vs 79 tok/s), Lower latency (faster first token). Choose o3 when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Larger context window (200K vs 128K), Higher max output tokens, Higher quality score (38 vs 17).
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): GPT-4o = $55.00, o3 = $44.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): GPT-4o = $350.00, o3 = $280.00.