GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4
GPT-4o mini and Phi 4 are closely matched at 3.8 and 5.6 on the LLM Stats Score. Phi 4 is 3.0x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · Microsoft · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4o mini and Phi 4 are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 3.8 and 5.6.
The models split the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models evenly.
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.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4o mini
- you process long inputs — it offers a 128,000 token context window
Choose Phi 4
- 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
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 · 13 for Phi 4
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.
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 2.1x 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
Documented input modalities across available providers
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
2.1 years ago
Dec 12, 2024
1.7 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
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4o mini and Phi 4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4.