GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4 Mini
GPT-4o mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
OpenAI · Microsoft · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-4o mini outperforms in 4 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, MGSM, MMLU), while Phi 4 Mini is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-4o mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4o mini
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
Choose Phi 4 Mini
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4o mini outperforms in 4 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, MGSM, MMLU), while Phi 4 Mini is better at 0 benchmarks.
GPT-4o mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only GPT-4o mini specifies input context (128,000 tokens). Only GPT-4o mini specifies output context (16,384 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4o mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas Phi 4 Mini 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 Mini
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4o mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Phi 4 Mini 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 Mini was released on 2025-02-01.
Phi 4 Mini is 7 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
Jul 18, 2024
2.1 years ago
Feb 1, 2025
1.6 years ago
6mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4o mini has a knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while Phi 4 Mini has a cutoff of 2024-06-01.
Phi 4 Mini 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 newerOutputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4o mini and Phi 4 Mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o mini vs Phi 4 Mini.