GPT-4.1 mini vs Llama 3.3 70B Instruct
GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Llama 3.3 70B Instruct is 3.5x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · Meta · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4.1 mini outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU), while Llama 3.3 70B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (IFEval). GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, Llama 3.3 70B Instruct is roughly 3.5x 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
- 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
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
Choose Llama 3.3 70B Instruct
- cost matters — it's about 3.5x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4.1 mini outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU), while Llama 3.3 70B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (IFEval).
GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($0.40/1M tokens) is 2.0x more expensive than Llama 3.3 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($1.60/1M tokens) is 8.0x more expensive than Llama 3.3 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4.1 mini is more expensive than Llama 3.3 70B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-4.1 mini accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to Llama 3.3 70B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. Llama 3.3 70B Instruct can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while GPT-4.1 mini is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4.1 mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas Llama 3.3 70B Instruct does not.
GPT-4.1 mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4.1 mini
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4.1 mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Llama 3.3 70B Instruct uses Llama 3.3 Community License Agreement.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Llama 3.3 Community License Agreement
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4.1 mini was released on 2025-04-14, while Llama 3.3 70B Instruct was released on 2024-12-06.
GPT-4.1 mini is 4 months newer than Llama 3.3 70B Instruct.
Apr 14, 2025
1.4 years ago
4mo newerDec 6, 2024
1.7 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4.1 mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while Llama 3.3 70B Instruct's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4.1 mini's training data extends to 2024-05-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without Llama 3.3 70B Instruct's cutoff date.
May 2024
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Provider Availability
GPT-4.1 mini is available from OpenAI. Llama 3.3 70B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Groq, Sambanova, Cerebras, Bedrock, Together, Fireworks.
GPT-4.1 mini
Llama 3.3 70B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 mini and Llama 3.3 70B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4.1 mini vs Llama 3.3 70B Instruct.