GPT-4o mini vs Nova Lite
GPT-4o mini and Nova Lite are closely matched at 3.6 and 7.6 on the LLM Stats Score. Nova Lite is 2.5x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · Amazon · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4o mini and Nova Lite are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 3.6 and 7.6.
The models split the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models evenly.
On price, Nova Lite is roughly 2.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Nova Lite also accepts a larger context window (300,000 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-4o mini
- you want predictable pricing at $0.15/M input and $0.60/M output
Choose Nova Lite
- cost matters — it's about 2.5x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 300,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2024
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
9 reported for GPT-4o mini · 27 for Nova Lite
GPT-4o mini outperforms in 3 benchmarks (HumanEval, MMLU, MMMU), while Nova Lite is better at 3 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MATH).
Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens) is 2.5x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.06/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens) is 2.5x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.24/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4o mini is more expensive than Nova Lite.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Nova Lite accepts 300,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4o mini's 128,000 tokens. GPT-4o mini can generate longer responses up to 16,384 tokens, while Nova Lite is limited to 2,048 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both GPT-4o mini and Nova Lite support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-4o mini
Nova Lite
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 mini was released on 2024-07-18, while Nova Lite was released on 2024-11-20.
Nova Lite is 4 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
Jul 18, 2024
2.2 years ago
Nov 20, 2024
1.8 years ago
4mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4o mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while Nova Lite's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4o mini's training data extends to 2023-10-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without Nova Lite's cutoff date.
Oct 2023
—
Provider Availability
GPT-4o mini is available from Azure. Nova Lite is available from Bedrock.
GPT-4o mini
Nova Lite
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4o mini and Nova Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o mini vs Nova Lite.