GPT-4 vs Qwen3 Max
Qwen3 Max leads the LLM Stats Score 21.7 to 3.0. Qwen3 Max is 23.1x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Qwen3 Max leads the overall LLM Stats Score 21.7 to 3.0, ranking #183 overall.
In the 1 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Qwen3 Max wins 1; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Qwen3 Max is roughly 23.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Qwen3 Max also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4
- you want predictable pricing at $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output
Choose Qwen3 Max
- overall performance matters — it scores 21.7 and ranks #183 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 1 of 1 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 23.1x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2025
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
12 reported for GPT-4 · 6 for Qwen3 Max
GPT-4 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3 Max is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).
Qwen3 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4 ($30.00/1M tokens) is 60.0x more expensive than Qwen3 Max ($0.50/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4 ($60.00/1M tokens) is 12.0x more expensive than Qwen3 Max ($5.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4 is more expensive than Qwen3 Max.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Qwen3 Max accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4's 32,768 tokens. Qwen3 Max can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4 is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
GPT-4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas Qwen3 Max does not.
GPT-4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4
Qwen3 Max
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
GPT-4 was released on 2023-06-13, while Qwen3 Max was released on 2025-12-15.
Qwen3 Max is 31 months newer than GPT-4.
Jun 13, 2023
3.3 years ago
Dec 15, 2025
9 months ago
2.5yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2022-12-31, while Qwen3 Max's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4's training data extends to 2022-12-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without Qwen3 Max's cutoff date.
Dec 2022
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Provider Availability
GPT-4 is available from Azure, OpenAI. Qwen3 Max is available from Novita, DeepInfra.
GPT-4
Qwen3 Max
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4 and Qwen3 Max side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4 vs Qwen3 Max.