Model Comparison

GPT-4.1 mini vs Qwen3 VL 4B ThinkingWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is 2.2x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4.1 mini vs Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking — which is better?

GPT-4.1 mini (by OpenAI) and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking (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 mini outperforms in 5 benchmarks (CharXiv-D, CharXiv-R, GPQA, IFEval, MMLU), while Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2025, Multi-IF). GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

On price, Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is roughly 2.2x 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 5 of 7 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

Choose Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking if…

  • cost matters — it's about 2.2x 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

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

7 benchmarks

GPT-4.1 mini outperforms in 5 benchmarks (CharXiv-D, CharXiv-R, GPQA, IFEval, MMLU), while Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2025, Multi-IF).

GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Mon Jul 27 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking costs less

For input processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($0.40/1M tokens) is 4.0x more expensive than Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4.1 mini ($1.60/1M tokens) is 1.6x more expensive than Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking ($1.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4.1 mini is more expensive than Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Mon Jul 27 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Input tokens$0.40
Output tokens$1.60
Best providerOpenAI
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$1.00
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 Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking's 262,144 tokens. Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking can generate longer responses up to 262,144 tokens, while GPT-4.1 mini is limited to 32,768 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking
Input262,144 tokens
Output262,144 tokens
Mon Jul 27 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4.1 mini and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking 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

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GPT-4.1 mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking uses Apache 2.0.

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

GPT-4.1 mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4.1 mini was released on 2025-04-14, while Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking was released on 2025-09-22.

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is 5 months newer than GPT-4.1 mini.

GPT-4.1 mini

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

Sep 22, 2025

10 months ago

5mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking'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 Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking's cutoff date.

GPT-4.1 mini

May 2024

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

—

Provider Availability

GPT-4.1 mini is available from OpenAI. Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is available from DeepInfra.

GPT-4.1 mini

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

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Larger context window (1,047,576 tokens)
Higher CharXiv-D score (88.4% vs 83.9%)
Higher CharXiv-R score (56.8% vs 50.3%)
Higher GPQA score (65.0% vs 64.1%)
Higher IFEval score (84.1% vs 82.6%)
Higher MMLU score (87.5% vs 81.5%)
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

View details

Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
Higher AIME 2025 score (74.5% vs 40.2%)
Higher Multi-IF score (73.6% vs 67.0%)
OpenAIGPT-4.1 mini
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen TeamQwen3 VL 4B Thinking
Compare in Playground

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 mini and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4.1 mini
✓ Preferred
Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 mini
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4.1 mini vs Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking.

Which is better, GPT-4.1 mini or Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking?

GPT-4.1 mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GPT-4.1 mini is made by OpenAI and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is made by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4.1 mini compare to Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking in benchmarks?

GPT-4.1 mini scores CharXiv-D: 88.4%, MMLU: 87.5%, IFEval: 84.1%, MMMLU: 78.5%, MathVista: 73.1%. Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking scores DocVQAtest: 94.2%, ScreenSpot: 92.9%, MMBench-V1.1: 86.7%, MMLU-Redux: 86.0%, AI2D: 84.9%.

Is GPT-4.1 mini cheaper than Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking?

Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is 4.0x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4.1 mini costs $0.40/M input and $1.60/M output via openai. Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking costs $0.10/M input and $1.00/M output via deepinfra.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4.1 mini and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking?

GPT-4.1 mini supports 1.0M tokens and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking supports 262K 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 Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 262K), input pricing ($0.40 vs $0.10/M), licensing (Proprietary vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4.1 mini and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking?

GPT-4.1 mini is developed by OpenAI and Qwen3 VL 4B Thinking is developed by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team.

Related comparisons