Model Comparison

GPT-4 vs GPT-4o miniWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GPT-4o mini is 142.9x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4 vs GPT-4o mini — which is better?

GPT-4 (by OpenAI) and GPT-4o mini (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.

GPT-4 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (DROP, MMLU), while GPT-4o mini is better at 4 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval, MATH, MGSM). GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

On price, GPT-4o mini is roughly 142.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-4o mini also accepts a larger context window (128,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-4 if…

  • you want predictable pricing at $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output

Choose GPT-4o mini if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 6 shared benchmarks
  • cost matters — it's about 142.9x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 128,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2024
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

6 benchmarks

GPT-4 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (DROP, MMLU), while GPT-4o mini is better at 4 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval, MATH, MGSM).

GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4o mini costs less

For input processing, GPT-4 ($30.00/1M tokens) is 200.0x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4 ($60.00/1M tokens) is 100.0x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4 is more expensive than GPT-4o mini.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-4
Input tokens$30.00
Output tokens$60.00
Best providerAzure
OpenAI
GPT-4o mini
Input tokens$0.15
Output tokens$0.60
Best providerAzure
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-4o mini accepts 128,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4's 32,768 tokens. GPT-4 can generate longer responses up to 32,768 tokens, while GPT-4o mini is limited to 16,384 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4
Input32,768 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4o mini
Input128,000 tokens
Output16,384 tokens
Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

GPT-4

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-4o mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.

Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.

GPT-4

Proprietary

Closed source

GPT-4o mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4 was released on 2023-06-13, while GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.

GPT-4o mini is 13 months newer than GPT-4.

GPT-4

Jun 13, 2023

3.0 years ago

GPT-4o mini

Jul 18, 2024

1.9 years ago

1.1yr newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4 has a knowledge cutoff of 2022-12-31, while GPT-4o mini has a cutoff of 2023-10-01.

GPT-4o mini has more recent training data (up to 2023-10-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4 (2022-12-31).

GPT-4

Dec 2022

GPT-4o mini

Oct 2023

10 mo newer

Provider Availability

GPT-4 is available from Azure, OpenAI. GPT-4o mini is available from Azure.

GPT-4

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $30.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $60.00/1M
openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $30.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $60.00/1M

GPT-4o mini

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $0.15/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.60/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Higher DROP score (80.9% vs 79.7%)
Higher MMLU score (86.4% vs 82.0%)
OpenAI
Larger context window (128,000 tokens)
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Higher GPQA score (40.2% vs 35.7%)
Higher HumanEval score (87.2% vs 67.0%)
Higher MATH score (70.2% vs 42.0%)
Higher MGSM score (87.0% vs 74.5%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4
OpenAI
GPT-4o mini

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4 vs GPT-4o mini.

Which is better, GPT-4 or GPT-4o mini?

GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GPT-4 is made by OpenAI and GPT-4o mini is made by OpenAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4 compare to GPT-4o mini in benchmarks?

GPT-4 scores AI2 Reasoning Challenge (ARC): 96.3%, HellaSwag: 95.3%, Uniform Bar Exam: 90.0%, SAT Math: 89.0%, LSAT: 88.0%. GPT-4o mini scores HumanEval: 87.2%, MGSM: 87.0%, MMLU: 82.0%, DROP: 79.7%, MATH: 70.2%.

Is GPT-4 cheaper than GPT-4o mini?

GPT-4o mini is 200.0x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4 costs $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output via azure. GPT-4o mini costs $0.15/M input and $0.60/M output via azure.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini?

GPT-4 supports 33K tokens and GPT-4o mini supports 128K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini?

Key differences include context window (33K vs 128K), input pricing ($30.00 vs $0.15/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

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