Model Comparison
GPT-4.1 vs Qwen2.5-Coder 32B InstructWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct is 38.9x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-4.1 vs Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct — which is better?
GPT-4.1 (by OpenAI) and Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct (by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) 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 1 benchmarks (MMLU), while Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct is roughly 38.9x 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 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
Choose Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct if…
- cost matters — it's about 38.9x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4.1 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MMLU), while Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.
GPT-4.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 22.2x more expensive than Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct ($0.09/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens) is 88.9x more expensive than Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct ($0.09/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-4.1 accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while GPT-4.1 is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct does not.
GPT-4.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4.1
Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4.1 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14, while Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct was released on 2024-09-19.
GPT-4.1 is 7 months newer than Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct.
Apr 14, 2025
1.2 years ago
6mo newerSep 19, 2024
1.8 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4.1's training data extends to 2024-06-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct's cutoff date.
Jun 2024
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Provider Availability
GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI. Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Fireworks.
GPT-4.1
Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4.1
View detailsOpenAI
Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
GPT-4.1
Qwen2.5-Coder 32B InstructDetailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 and Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4.1 vs Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Instruct.