GPT-5 Mini vs Grok 4-20
Complete pricing and performance comparison between OpenAI's GPT-5 Mini and xAI's Grok 4-20.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
GPT-5 Mini
8.0x cheaper input, 3.0x cheaper output
Larger Context
GPT-5 Mini
400K vs 131K
Higher Quality
Grok 4-20
Score: 49 vs 41
Faster
Grok 4-20
101 vs 89 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | GPT-5 Mini | Grok 4-20 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.25 | $2 | GPT-5 Mini is 88% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $2 | $6 | GPT-5 Mini is 67% more expensive |
| Context Window | 400K | 131K | 3x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 16K | |
| Tokenizer | o200k_base | cl100k_base |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | GPT-5 Mini | Grok 4-20 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 41 | 49 | Grok 4-20 |
| Output Speed | 89 tok/s | 101 tok/s | Grok 4-20 |
| Time to First Token | 78.39s | 20.69s | Grok 4-20 |
| Value (Quality/$) | 164.8 | 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 Mini | Grok 4-20 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0008 | $0.0038 | GPT-5 Mini saves $0.0029 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.0085 | $0.038 | GPT-5 Mini saves $0.030 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.085 | $0.380 | GPT-5 Mini saves $0.295 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $0.850 | $3.80 | GPT-5 Mini saves $2.95 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $8.50 | $38.00 | GPT-5 Mini saves $29.50 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $850.00 | $3800.00 | GPT-5 Mini saves $2950.00 |
Pros & Cons
GPT-5 Mini Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Larger context window (400K vs 131K)
Grok 4-20 Strengths
- +Faster output (101 vs 89 tok/s)
- +Higher quality score (49 vs 41)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose GPT-5 Mini for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
Choose Grok 4-20 for
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-5 Mini or Grok 4-20?
For input tokens, GPT-5 Mini is 8.0x cheaper at $0.25/1M tokens. For output tokens, GPT-5 Mini is 3.0x cheaper at $2/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), GPT-5 Mini costs $0.850 vs Grok 4-20 at $3.80.
What's the context window difference?
GPT-5 Mini supports 400K context (400,000 tokens), while Grok 4-20 supports 131K (131,072 tokens). GPT-5 Mini can handle 3x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: GPT-5 Mini scores 41 vs Grok 4-20 at 49. Speed: GPT-5 Mini generates 89 tok/s vs Grok 4-20 at 101 tok/s. Time to first token: GPT-5 Mini at 78.39s vs Grok 4-20 at 20.69s.
When should I choose GPT-5 Mini over Grok 4-20?
Choose GPT-5 Mini when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Larger context window (400K vs 131K). Choose Grok 4-20 when you need: Faster output (101 vs 89 tok/s), Higher quality score (49 vs 41), 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 Mini = $8.50, Grok 4-20 = $38.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): GPT-5 Mini = $45.00, Grok 4-20 = $260.00.