GPT-4.1 vs Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct
GPT-4.1 leads the LLM Stats Score 18.0 to 13.9. Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct is 18.9x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4.1 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 18.0 to 13.9, ranking #218 overall.
In the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GPT-4.1 wins 5; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct is roughly 18.9x 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.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4.1
- overall performance matters — it scores 18.0 and ranks #218 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 5 of 6 exact shared results
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window
Choose Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct
- cost matters — it's about 18.9x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
29 reported for GPT-4.1 · 46 for Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct
GPT-4.1 outperforms in 5 benchmarks (AIME 2025, CharXiv-D, CharXiv-R, IFEval, MMLU), while Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (Multi-IF).
GPT-4.1 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-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 25.0x more expensive than Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct ($0.08/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens) is 16.0x more expensive than Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct ($0.50/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than Qwen3 VL 8B 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 Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct's 131,072 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 32,768 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both GPT-4.1 and Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-4.1
Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4.1 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen3 VL 8B 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 Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct was released on 2025-09-22.
Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct is 5 months newer than GPT-4.1.
Apr 14, 2025
1.4 years ago
Sep 22, 2025
12 months ago
5mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while Qwen3 VL 8B 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 Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct's cutoff date.
Jun 2024
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Provider Availability
GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI. Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct is available from Novita, DeepInfra.
GPT-4.1
Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 and Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4.1 vs Qwen3 VL 8B Instruct.