Model Comparison
GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4Which is better in 2026?
Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks. Phi 4 is 3.0x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4 — which is better?
GPT-4o mini (by OpenAI) and Phi 4 (by Microsoft) 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 mini outperforms in 3 benchmarks (DROP, HumanEval, MGSM), while Phi 4 is better at 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, MMLU). Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.
On price, Phi 4 is roughly 3.0x 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.
Choose GPT-4o mini if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 128,000 token context window
Choose Phi 4 if…
- cost matters — it's about 3.0x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4o mini outperforms in 3 benchmarks (DROP, HumanEval, MGSM), while Phi 4 is better at 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, MMLU).
Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens) is 2.1x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.07/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens) is 4.3x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.14/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4o mini is more expensive than Phi 4.*
* 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 Phi 4's 16,000 tokens. GPT-4o mini can generate longer responses up to 16,384 tokens, while Phi 4 is limited to 16,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4o mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas Phi 4 does not.
GPT-4o mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4o mini
Phi 4
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4o mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Phi 4 uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18, while Phi 4 was released on 2024-12-12.
Phi 4 is 5 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
Jul 18, 2024
2.0 years ago
Dec 12, 2024
1.6 years ago
4mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4o mini has a knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while Phi 4 has a cutoff of 2024-06-01.
Phi 4 has more recent training data (up to 2024-06-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4o mini (2023-10-01).
Oct 2023
Jun 2024
8 mo newerProvider Availability
GPT-4o mini is available from Azure. Phi 4 is available from DeepInfra.
GPT-4o mini
Phi 4
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4o mini
View detailsOpenAI
Phi 4
View detailsMicrosoft
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4o mini and Phi 4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
| Feature | | |
|---|
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4.