Model Comparison
Gemini 1.5 Flash vs GPT-4.1Which is better in 2026?
GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemini 1.5 Flash is 13.3x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemini 1.5 Flash vs GPT-4.1 — which is better?
Gemini 1.5 Flash (by Google) and GPT-4.1 (by OpenAI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.
Gemini 1.5 Flash outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-4.1 is better at 4 benchmarks (GPQA, MathVista, MMLU, MMMU). GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemini 1.5 Flash is roughly 13.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemini 1.5 Flash also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemini 1.5 Flash if…
- cost matters — it's about 13.3x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
Choose GPT-4.1 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemini 1.5 Flash outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-4.1 is better at 4 benchmarks (GPQA, MathVista, MMLU, MMMU).
GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemini 1.5 Flash ($0.15/1M tokens) is 13.3x cheaper than GPT-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 1.5 Flash ($0.60/1M tokens) is 13.3x cheaper than GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than Gemini 1.5 Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemini 1.5 Flash accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to GPT-4.1's 1,047,576 tokens. GPT-4.1 can generate longer responses up to 32,768 tokens, while Gemini 1.5 Flash is limited to 8,192 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemini 1.5 Flash and GPT-4.1 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 1.5 Flash
GPT-4.1
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.
Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.
Proprietary
Closed source
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemini 1.5 Flash was released on 2024-05-01, while GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14.
GPT-4.1 is 12 months newer than Gemini 1.5 Flash.
May 1, 2024
2.1 years ago
Apr 14, 2025
1.2 years ago
11mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 1.5 Flash has a knowledge cutoff of 2023-11-01, while GPT-4.1 has a cutoff of 2024-06-01.
GPT-4.1 has more recent training data (up to 2024-06-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Gemini 1.5 Flash (2023-11-01).
Nov 2023
Jun 2024
7 mo newerProvider Availability
Gemini 1.5 Flash is available from Google. GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI.
Gemini 1.5 Flash
GPT-4.1
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4.1
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 1.5 Flash vs GPT-4.1.