Model Comparison
GPT-5 nano vs Grok-4Which is better in 2026?
Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-5 nano is 43.6x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-5 nano vs Grok-4 — which is better?
GPT-5 nano (by OpenAI) and Grok-4 (by xAI) 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-5 nano outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-4 is better at 3 benchmarks (AIME 2025, GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam). Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GPT-5 nano is roughly 43.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5 nano also accepts a larger context window (400,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-5 nano if…
- cost matters — it's about 43.6x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2025
Choose Grok-4 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5 nano outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-4 is better at 3 benchmarks (AIME 2025, GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam).
Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-5 nano ($0.05/1M tokens) is 60.0x cheaper than Grok-4 ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5 nano ($0.40/1M tokens) is 37.5x cheaper than Grok-4 ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-4 is more expensive than GPT-5 nano.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5 nano accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to Grok-4's 256,000 tokens. GPT-5 nano can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Grok-4 is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GPT-5 nano and Grok-4 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-5 nano
Grok-4
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-5 nano was released on 2025-08-07, while Grok-4 was released on 2025-07-09.
GPT-5 nano is 1 month newer than Grok-4.
Aug 7, 2025
11 months ago
4w newerJul 9, 2025
1.0 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5 nano has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-30, while Grok-4 has a cutoff of 2024-12-31.
Grok-4 has more recent training data (up to 2024-12-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-5 nano (2024-05-30).
May 2024
Dec 2024
7 mo newerProvider Availability
GPT-5 nano is available from OpenAI. Grok-4 is available from xAI.
GPT-5 nano
Grok-4
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-5 nano
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-5 nano and Grok-4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5 nano vs Grok-4.