Model Comparison

GPT-4.1 vs Grok 4.5Which is better in 2026?

Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Grok 4.5 is 1.2x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4.1 vs Grok 4.5 — which is better?

GPT-4.1 (by OpenAI) and Grok 4.5 (by xAI) 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 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Grok 4.5 is roughly 1.2x 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 process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

Choose Grok 4.5 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • cost matters — it's about 1.2x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

GPT-4.1 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).

Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Grok 4.5 costs less

For input processing, GPT-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens) costs the same as Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens) is 1.3x more expensive than Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than Grok 4.5.*

* 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
xAI
Grok 4.5
Input tokens$2.00
Output tokens$6.00
Best providerxAI
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 Grok 4.5's 500,000 tokens. Only GPT-4.1 specifies output context (32,768 tokens).

OpenAI
GPT-4.1
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
xAI
Grok 4.5
Input500,000 tokens
Output- tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4.1 and Grok 4.5 support multimodal inputs.

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

GPT-4.1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok 4.5

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-4.1

Proprietary

Closed source

Grok 4.5

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14, while Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-16.

Grok 4.5 is 15 months newer than GPT-4.1.

GPT-4.1

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

Grok 4.5

Jul 16, 2026

2 days ago

1.3yr newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while Grok 4.5 has a cutoff of 2026-02-01.

Grok 4.5 has more recent training data (up to 2026-02-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4.1 (2024-06-01).

GPT-4.1

Jun 2024

Grok 4.5

Feb 2026

1.7 yr newer

Provider Availability

GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI. Grok 4.5 is available from xAI.

GPT-4.1

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

Grok 4.5

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $2.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $6.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion

Key Takeaways

Larger context window (1,047,576 tokens)
Less expensive output tokens
Higher GPQA score (93.0% vs 66.3%)
OpenAIGPT-4.1
xAIGrok 4.5

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 and Grok 4.5 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4.1
✓ Preferred
Grok 4.5
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4.1
xAI
Grok 4.5

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4.1 vs Grok 4.5.

Which is better, GPT-4.1 or Grok 4.5?

Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4.1 is made by OpenAI and Grok 4.5 is made by xAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4.1 compare to Grok 4.5 in benchmarks?

GPT-4.1 scores MMLU: 90.2%, CharXiv-D: 87.9%, IFEval: 87.4%, MMMLU: 87.3%, MMMU: 74.8%. Grok 4.5 scores GPQA: 93.0%, Terminal-Bench 2.1: 83.3%, Artificial Analysis Coding Agent Index v1.1: 76.0%, SWE-Bench Pro: 64.7%, AA-Omniscience Index: 63.0%.

Is GPT-4.1 cheaper than Grok 4.5?

Both models cost $2.00 per million input tokens.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4.1 and Grok 4.5?

GPT-4.1 supports 1.0M tokens and Grok 4.5 supports 500K 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 Grok 4.5?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 500K). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4.1 and Grok 4.5?

GPT-4.1 is developed by OpenAI and Grok 4.5 is developed by xAI.