Model Comparison

GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 TerraWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-5.6 Terra significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o is 1.3x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 Terra — which is better?

GPT-4o (by OpenAI) and GPT-5.6 Terra (by OpenAI) 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-4o outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.6 Terra is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU-Pro). GPT-5.6 Terra significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, GPT-4o is roughly 1.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-5.6 Terra also accepts a larger context window (1,050,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-4o if…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.3x cheaper per token

Choose GPT-5.6 Terra if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,050,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

GPT-4o outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.6 Terra is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU-Pro).

GPT-5.6 Terra significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4o costs less

For input processing, GPT-4o ($2.50/1M tokens) costs the same as GPT-5.6 Terra ($2.50/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4o ($10.00/1M tokens) is 1.5x cheaper than GPT-5.6 Terra ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-5.6 Terra is more expensive than GPT-4o.*

* 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-4o
Input tokens$2.50
Output tokens$10.00
Best providerAzure
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Terra
Input tokens$2.50
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-5.6 Terra accepts 1,050,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4o's 128,000 tokens. GPT-5.6 Terra can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while GPT-4o is limited to 16,384 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4o
Input128,000 tokens
Output16,384 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Terra
Input1,050,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Terra support multimodal inputs.

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

GPT-4o

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-5.6 Terra

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-4o

Proprietary

Closed source

GPT-5.6 Terra

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4o was released on 2024-08-06, while GPT-5.6 Terra was released on 2026-07-09.

GPT-5.6 Terra is 23 months newer than GPT-4o.

GPT-4o

Aug 6, 2024

1.9 years ago

GPT-5.6 Terra

Jul 9, 2026

1 weeks ago

1.9yr newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-5.6 Terra has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-16, while GPT-4o's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-5.6 Terra's training data extends to 2026-02-16, but cannot make a direct comparison without GPT-4o's cutoff date.

GPT-4o

—

GPT-5.6 Terra

Feb 2026

Provider Availability

GPT-4o is available from Azure, OpenAI. GPT-5.6 Terra is available from OpenAI.

GPT-4o

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M
openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M

GPT-5.6 Terra

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Less expensive output tokens
OpenAI
Larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
Higher GPQA score (92.9% vs 70.1%)
Higher MMMU-Pro score (80.7% vs 59.9%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Terra side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-4o
✓ Preferred
GPT-5.6 Terra
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4o
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Terra

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 Terra.

Which is better, GPT-4o or GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-5.6 Terra significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o is made by OpenAI and GPT-5.6 Terra is made by OpenAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4o compare to GPT-5.6 Terra in benchmarks?

GPT-4o scores AI2D: 94.2%, DocVQA: 92.8%, ChartQA: 85.7%, MMLU: 85.7%, CharXiv-D: 85.3%. GPT-5.6 Terra scores Connectors: 100.0%, HealthBench Consensus: 95.1%, Search and Function-Calling: 94.6%, GPQA: 92.9%, Capture-the-Flag Challenges (Internal): 91.8%.

Is GPT-4o cheaper than GPT-5.6 Terra?

Both models cost $2.50 per million input tokens.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-4o supports 128K tokens and GPT-5.6 Terra supports 1.1M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Terra?

Key differences include context window (128K vs 1.1M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

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