Model Comparison

GPT-4.1 vs Granite 3.3 8B InstructWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-4.1 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is 7.0x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4.1 vs Granite 3.3 8B Instruct — which is better?

GPT-4.1 (by OpenAI) and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct (by IBM) 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-4.1 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (IFEval, MMLU), while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (AIME 2024). GPT-4.1 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

On price, Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is roughly 7.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-4.1 also accepts a larger context window (1,047,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-4.1 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 3 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

Choose Granite 3.3 8B Instruct if…

  • cost matters — it's about 7.0x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

3 benchmarks

GPT-4.1 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (IFEval, MMLU), while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (AIME 2024).

GPT-4.1 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct costs less

For input processing, GPT-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 4.0x more expensive than Granite 3.3 8B Instruct ($0.50/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens) is 16.0x more expensive than Granite 3.3 8B Instruct ($0.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than Granite 3.3 8B Instruct.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-4.1
Input tokens$2.00
Output tokens$8.00
Best providerOpenAI
IBM
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct
Input tokens$0.50
Output tokens$0.50
Best providerReplicate
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-4.1 accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to Granite 3.3 8B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. GPT-4.1 can generate longer responses up to 32,768 tokens, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is limited to 8,192 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4.1
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
IBM
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct
Input128,000 tokens
Output8,192 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4.1 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct support multimodal inputs.

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

GPT-4.1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GPT-4.1 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct uses Apache 2.0.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

GPT-4.1

Proprietary

Closed source

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct was released on 2025-04-16.

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is 0 month newer than GPT-4.1.

GPT-4.1

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

Apr 16, 2025

1.3 years ago

2d newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct has a cutoff of 2024-04-01.

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 Granite 3.3 8B Instruct (2024-04-01).

GPT-4.1

Jun 2024

2 mo newer
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

Apr 2024

Provider Availability

GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is available from Replicate.

GPT-4.1

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $8.00/1M

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

replicate logo
Replicate
Input Price:Input: $0.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.50/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Larger context window (1,047,576 tokens)
Higher IFEval score (87.4% vs 74.8%)
Higher MMLU score (90.2% vs 65.5%)
IBM
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
Higher AIME 2024 score (81.2% vs 48.1%)
OpenAIGPT-4.1
IBMGranite 3.3 8B Instruct
Compare in Playground

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4.1
✓ Preferred
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4.1
IBM
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4.1 vs Granite 3.3 8B Instruct.

Which is better, GPT-4.1 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?

GPT-4.1 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GPT-4.1 is made by OpenAI and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is made by IBM. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4.1 compare to Granite 3.3 8B Instruct in benchmarks?

GPT-4.1 scores MMLU: 90.2%, CharXiv-D: 87.9%, IFEval: 87.4%, MMMLU: 87.3%, MMMU: 74.8%. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct scores HumanEval: 89.7%, AttaQ: 88.5%, HumanEval+: 86.1%, AIME 2024: 81.2%, GSM8k: 80.9%.

Is GPT-4.1 cheaper than Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?

Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is 4.0x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4.1 costs $2.00/M input and $8.00/M output via openai. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct costs $0.50/M input and $0.50/M output via replicate.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4.1 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?

GPT-4.1 supports 1.0M tokens and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct 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-4.1 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 128K), input pricing ($2.00 vs $0.50/M), licensing (Proprietary vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4.1 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?

GPT-4.1 is developed by OpenAI and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is developed by IBM.

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