GPT-5 vs MiniMax M3
MiniMax M3 leads the LLM Stats Score 41.4 to 34.2. MiniMax M3 is 6.5x cheaper per token.
OpenAI · MiniMax · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
MiniMax M3 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 41.4 to 34.2, ranking #49 overall.
In the 4 individual benchmarks reported for both models, MiniMax M3 wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, MiniMax M3 is roughly 6.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
MiniMax M3 also accepts a larger context window (512,000 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-5
- you want predictable pricing at $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output
Choose MiniMax M3
- overall performance matters — it scores 41.4 and ranks #49 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 4 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 6.5x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 512,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jun 2026
- 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
34 reported for GPT-5 · 35 for MiniMax M3
GPT-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MMMU-Pro), while MiniMax M3 is better at 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, SWE-Bench Verified).
MiniMax M3 has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-5 ($1.25/1M tokens) is 4.2x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($0.30/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5 ($10.00/1M tokens) is 8.3x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($1.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5 is more expensive than MiniMax M3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
MiniMax M3 accepts 512,000 input tokens compared to GPT-5's 400,000 tokens. MiniMax M3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-5 is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both GPT-5 and MiniMax M3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-5
MiniMax M3
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-5 is licensed under a proprietary license, while MiniMax M3 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-5 was released on 2025-08-07, while MiniMax M3 was released on 2026-06-01.
MiniMax M3 is 10 months newer than GPT-5.
Aug 7, 2025
1.1 years ago
Jun 1, 2026
3 months ago
9mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while MiniMax M3's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-5's training data extends to 2024-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without MiniMax M3's cutoff date.
Sep 2024
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Provider Availability
GPT-5 is available from OpenAI. MiniMax M3 is available from Fireworks, MiniMax, Novita, Together.
GPT-5
MiniMax M3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-5 and MiniMax M3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5 vs MiniMax M3.