Model Comparison
GPT-4o vs Grok-2Which is better in 2026?
Grok-2 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Grok-2 is 1.1x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-4o vs Grok-2 — which is better?
GPT-4o (by OpenAI) and Grok-2 (by xAI) 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 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU), while Grok-2 is better at 4 benchmarks (DocVQA, MathVista, MMLU, MMLU-Pro). Grok-2 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, Grok-2 is roughly 1.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Choose GPT-4o if…
- you want predictable pricing at $2.50/M input and $10.00/M output
Choose Grok-2 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 6 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 1.1x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2024
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4o outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU), while Grok-2 is better at 4 benchmarks (DocVQA, MathVista, MMLU, MMLU-Pro).
Grok-2 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4o ($2.50/1M tokens) is 1.3x more expensive than Grok-2 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4o ($10.00/1M tokens) costs the same as Grok-2 ($10.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4o is more expensive than Grok-2.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 128,000 tokens. GPT-4o can generate longer responses up to 16,384 tokens, while Grok-2 is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GPT-4o and Grok-2 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-4o
Grok-2
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.
Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.
Proprietary
Closed source
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4o was released on 2024-08-06, while Grok-2 was released on 2024-08-13.
Grok-2 is 0 month newer than GPT-4o.
Aug 6, 2024
1.9 years ago
Aug 13, 2024
1.8 years ago
1w newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GPT-4o is available from Azure, OpenAI. Grok-2 is available from xAI.
GPT-4o
Grok-2
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4o
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o vs Grok-2.