GPT-5 vs o4 Mini
Complete pricing and performance comparison between OpenAI's GPT-5 and OpenAI's o4 Mini.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
o4 Mini
1.1x cheaper input, 2.3x cheaper output
Larger Context
GPT-5
400K vs 200K
Higher Quality
GPT-5
Score: 45 vs 33
Faster
o4 Mini
140 vs 60 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | GPT-5 | o4 Mini | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $1.25 | $1.1 | o4 Mini is 12% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $10 | $4.4 | o4 Mini is 56% more expensive |
| Context Window | 400K | 200K | 2x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 100K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | GPT-5 | o4 Mini | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 45 | 33 | GPT-5 |
| Output Speed | 60 tok/s | 140 tok/s | o4 Mini |
| Time to First Token | 117.69s | 32.98s | o4 Mini |
| Value (Quality/$) | 35.7 | 30.1 | 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 | o4 Mini | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0042 | $0.0024 | o4 Mini saves $0.0018 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.042 | $0.024 | o4 Mini saves $0.018 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.425 | $0.242 | o4 Mini saves $0.183 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $4.25 | $2.42 | o4 Mini saves $1.83 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $42.50 | $24.20 | o4 Mini saves $18.30 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $4250.00 | $2420.00 | o4 Mini saves $1830.00 |
Pros & Cons
GPT-5 Strengths
- +Larger context window (400K vs 200K)
- +Higher quality score (45 vs 33)
o4 Mini Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Faster output (140 vs 60 tok/s)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose GPT-5 for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Choose o4 Mini for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-5 or o4 Mini?
For input tokens, o4 Mini is 1.1x cheaper at $1.1/1M tokens. For output tokens, o4 Mini is 2.3x cheaper at $4.4/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), GPT-5 costs $4.25 vs o4 Mini at $2.42.
What's the context window difference?
GPT-5 supports 400K context (400,000 tokens), while o4 Mini supports 200K (200,000 tokens). GPT-5 can handle 2x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: GPT-5 scores 45 vs o4 Mini at 33. Speed: GPT-5 generates 60 tok/s vs o4 Mini at 140 tok/s. Time to first token: GPT-5 at 117.69s vs o4 Mini at 32.98s.
When should I choose GPT-5 over o4 Mini?
Choose GPT-5 when you need: Larger context window (400K vs 200K), Higher quality score (45 vs 33). Choose o4 Mini when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Higher max output tokens, Faster output (140 vs 60 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 = $42.50, o4 Mini = $24.20. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): GPT-5 = $225.00, o4 Mini = $154.00.