Model Comparison

GPT-4.1 mini vs Phi 4Which is better in 2026?

GPT-4.1 mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Phi 4 is 8.0x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4.1 mini vs Phi 4 — which is better?

GPT-4.1 mini (by OpenAI) and Phi 4 (by Microsoft) 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 mini outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, IFEval, MMLU), while Phi 4 is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-4.1 mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Phi 4 is roughly 8.0x 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.

Choose GPT-4.1 mini if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 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 Phi 4 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 8.0x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

3 benchmarks

GPT-4.1 mini outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, IFEval, MMLU), while Phi 4 is better at 0 benchmarks.

GPT-4.1 mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Phi 4 costs less

For input processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($0.40/1M tokens) is 5.7x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.07/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($1.60/1M tokens) is 11.4x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.14/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4.1 mini is more expensive than Phi 4.*

* 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 mini
Input tokens$0.40
Output tokens$1.60
Best providerOpenAI
Microsoft
Phi 4
Input tokens$0.07
Output tokens$0.14
Best providerDeepinfra
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 Phi 4's 16,000 tokens. GPT-4.1 mini can generate longer responses up to 32,768 tokens, while Phi 4 is limited to 16,000 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
Microsoft
Phi 4
Input16,000 tokens
Output16,000 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-4.1 mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas Phi 4 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

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Phi 4

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GPT-4.1 mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Phi 4 uses MIT.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

GPT-4.1 mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Phi 4

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4.1 mini was released on 2025-04-14, while Phi 4 was released on 2024-12-12.

GPT-4.1 mini is 4 months newer than Phi 4.

GPT-4.1 mini

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

4mo newer
Phi 4

Dec 12, 2024

1.6 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 mini has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while Phi 4 has a cutoff of 2024-06-01.

Phi 4 has more recent training data (up to 2024-06-01), 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

Phi 4

Jun 2024

1 mo newer

Provider Availability

GPT-4.1 mini is available from OpenAI. Phi 4 is available from DeepInfra.

GPT-4.1 mini

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

Phi 4

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.07/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.14/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Larger context window (1,047,576 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
Higher GPQA score (65.0% vs 56.1%)
Higher IFEval score (84.1% vs 63.0%)
Higher MMLU score (87.5% vs 84.8%)
Microsoft
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
OpenAIGPT-4.1 mini
MicrosoftPhi 4
Compare in Playground

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 mini and Phi 4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4.1 mini
✓ Preferred
Phi 4
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Microsoft
Phi 4

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4.1 mini vs Phi 4.

Which is better, GPT-4.1 mini or Phi 4?

GPT-4.1 mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4.1 mini is made by OpenAI and Phi 4 is made by Microsoft. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4.1 mini compare to Phi 4 in benchmarks?

GPT-4.1 mini scores CharXiv-D: 88.4%, MMLU: 87.5%, IFEval: 84.1%, MMMLU: 78.5%, MathVista: 73.1%. Phi 4 scores MMLU: 84.8%, HumanEval+: 82.8%, HumanEval: 82.6%, MGSM: 80.6%, MATH: 80.4%.

Is GPT-4.1 mini cheaper than Phi 4?

Phi 4 is 5.7x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4.1 mini costs $0.40/M input and $1.60/M output via openai. Phi 4 costs $0.07/M input and $0.14/M output via deepinfra.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4.1 mini and Phi 4?

GPT-4.1 mini supports 1.0M tokens and Phi 4 supports 16K 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 Phi 4?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 16K), input pricing ($0.40 vs $0.07/M), multimodal support (yes vs no), licensing (Proprietary vs MIT). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4.1 mini and Phi 4?

GPT-4.1 mini is developed by OpenAI and Phi 4 is developed by Microsoft.

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