GPT-5.4 vs Grok 4-20
Complete pricing and performance comparison between OpenAI's GPT-5.4 and xAI's Grok 4-20.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
Grok 4-20
1.3x cheaper input, 2.5x cheaper output
Larger Context
GPT-5.4
1.1M vs 131K
Higher Quality
GPT-5.4
Score: 57 vs 49
Faster
Grok 4-20
101 vs 83 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | GPT-5.4 | Grok 4-20 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $2.5 | $2 | Grok 4-20 is 20% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $15 | $6 | Grok 4-20 is 60% more expensive |
| Context Window | 1.1M | 131K | 8x difference |
| Max Output | 128K | 16K | |
| Tokenizer | o200k_base | cl100k_base |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | GPT-5.4 | Grok 4-20 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 57 | 49 | GPT-5.4 |
| Output Speed | 83 tok/s | 101 tok/s | Grok 4-20 |
| Time to First Token | 131.33s | 20.69s | Grok 4-20 |
| Value (Quality/$) | 22.9 | 24.3 | 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-5.4 | Grok 4-20 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0070 | $0.0038 | Grok 4-20 saves $0.0032 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.070 | $0.038 | Grok 4-20 saves $0.032 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.700 | $0.380 | Grok 4-20 saves $0.320 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $7.00 | $3.80 | Grok 4-20 saves $3.20 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $70.00 | $38.00 | Grok 4-20 saves $32.00 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $7000.00 | $3800.00 | Grok 4-20 saves $3200.00 |
Pros & Cons
GPT-5.4 Strengths
- +Larger context window (1.1M vs 131K)
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Higher quality score (57 vs 49)
Grok 4-20 Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Faster output (101 vs 83 tok/s)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose GPT-5.4 for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Choose Grok 4-20 for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-5.4 or Grok 4-20?
For input tokens, Grok 4-20 is 1.3x cheaper at $2/1M tokens. For output tokens, Grok 4-20 is 2.5x cheaper at $6/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), GPT-5.4 costs $7.00 vs Grok 4-20 at $3.80.
What's the context window difference?
GPT-5.4 supports 1.1M context (1,050,000 tokens), while Grok 4-20 supports 131K (131,072 tokens). GPT-5.4 can handle 8x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: GPT-5.4 scores 57 vs Grok 4-20 at 49. Speed: GPT-5.4 generates 83 tok/s vs Grok 4-20 at 101 tok/s. Time to first token: GPT-5.4 at 131.33s vs Grok 4-20 at 20.69s.
When should I choose GPT-5.4 over Grok 4-20?
Choose GPT-5.4 when you need: Larger context window (1.1M vs 131K), Higher max output tokens, Higher quality score (57 vs 49). Choose Grok 4-20 when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Faster output (101 vs 83 tok/s), Lower latency (faster first token).
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): GPT-5.4 = $70.00, Grok 4-20 = $38.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): GPT-5.4 = $400.00, Grok 4-20 = $260.00.