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GPT-4.1 mini vs Grok 4.6

Comparing GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6 across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

OpenAI · xAI · Updated for 2026

Which is better?

GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6 trade strengths across price, capabilities, and technical limits. The better choice depends on the workload.

On price, GPT-4.1 mini is roughly 4.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-4.1 mini 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 benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.

Choose GPT-4.1 mini

  • cost matters — it's about 4.3x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

Choose Grok 4.6

  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026

At a glance

The differences that matter most.

GPT-4.1 mini
OpenAI
Grok 4.6
xAI
Benchmark wins
—
—
Input price
$0.40 / M
$2.00 / M
Output price
$1.60 / M
$6.00 / M
Context window
1,047,576
500,000
Released
Apr 2025
Aug 2026
License
Proprietary
Proprietary

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6don't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Playground indexes and blind preference scores

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4.1 mini costs less

For input processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($0.40/1M tokens) is 5.0x cheaper than Grok 4.6 ($2.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($1.60/1M tokens) is 3.8x cheaper than Grok 4.6 ($6.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Grok 4.6 is more expensive than GPT-4.1 mini.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Mon Aug 24 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Input tokens$0.40
Output tokens$1.60
Best providerOpenAI
xAI
Grok 4.6
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 mini accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to Grok 4.6's 500,000 tokens. Only GPT-4.1 mini specifies output context (32,768 tokens).

OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
xAI
Grok 4.6
Input500,000 tokens
Output- tokens
Mon Aug 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6 support multimodal inputs.

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

GPT-4.1 mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok 4.6

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 mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Grok 4.6

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4.1 mini was released on 2025-04-14, while Grok 4.6 was released on 2026-08-12.

Grok 4.6 is 16 months newer than GPT-4.1 mini.

GPT-4.1 mini

Apr 14, 2025

1.4 years ago

Grok 4.6

Aug 12, 2026

1 weeks ago

1.3yr newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 mini has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while Grok 4.6 has a cutoff of 2026-02-01.

Grok 4.6 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 mini (2024-05-31).

GPT-4.1 mini

May 2024

Grok 4.6

Feb 2026

1.8 yr newer

Provider Availability

GPT-4.1 mini is available from OpenAI. Grok 4.6 is available from xAI.

GPT-4.1 mini

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $0.40/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.60/1M

Grok 4.6

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→

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4.1 mini
✓ Preferred
Grok 4.6
Open in Playground

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4.1 mini vs Grok 4.6.

Which is better, GPT-4.1 mini or Grok 4.6?

GPT-4.1 mini (OpenAI) and Grok 4.6 (xAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does GPT-4.1 mini compare to Grok 4.6 in benchmarks?

GPT-4.1 mini scores CharXiv-D: 88.4%, MMLU: 87.5%, IFEval: 84.1%, MMMLU: 78.5%, MathVista: 73.1%. Grok 4.6 scores CursorBench v3.2: 69.9%, DeepSWE 1.1: 65.9%, FrontierCode: 61.3%, AA-Index: 61.0%, GDPval-AA: 58.4%.

Is GPT-4.1 mini cheaper than Grok 4.6?

GPT-4.1 mini is 5.0x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4.1 mini costs $0.40/M input and $1.60/M output via openai. Grok 4.6 costs $2.00/M input and $6.00/M output via xai.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6?

GPT-4.1 mini supports 1.0M tokens and Grok 4.6 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 mini and Grok 4.6?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 500K), input pricing ($0.40 vs $2.00/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4.1 mini and Grok 4.6?

GPT-4.1 mini is developed by OpenAI and Grok 4.6 is developed by xAI.

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