GPT-4 vs GPT-4o mini
GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini are closely matched at 3.0 and 3.6 on the LLM Stats Score. GPT-4o mini is 142.9x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 3.0 and 3.6.
In the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GPT-4o mini wins 4; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, GPT-4o mini is roughly 142.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-4o mini also accepts a larger context window (128,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4
- you want predictable pricing at $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output
Choose GPT-4o mini
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 4 of 6 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 142.9x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 128,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2024
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
12 reported for GPT-4 · 9 for GPT-4o mini
GPT-4 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (DROP, MMLU), while GPT-4o mini is better at 4 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval, MATH, MGSM).
GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4 ($30.00/1M tokens) is 200.0x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4 ($60.00/1M tokens) is 100.0x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4 is more expensive than GPT-4o mini.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-4o mini accepts 128,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4's 32,768 tokens. GPT-4 can generate longer responses up to 32,768 tokens, while GPT-4o mini is limited to 16,384 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-4
GPT-4o mini
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-4 was released on 2023-06-13, while GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.
GPT-4o mini is 13 months newer than GPT-4.
Jun 13, 2023
3.3 years ago
Jul 18, 2024
2.2 years ago
1.1yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4 has a knowledge cutoff of 2022-12-31, while GPT-4o mini has a cutoff of 2023-10-01.
GPT-4o mini has more recent training data (up to 2023-10-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4 (2022-12-31).
Dec 2022
Oct 2023
10 mo newerProvider Availability
GPT-4 is available from Azure, OpenAI. GPT-4o mini is available from Azure.
GPT-4
GPT-4o mini
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4 and GPT-4o mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4 vs GPT-4o mini.