Model Comparison
GPT-5.1 Instant vs Llama 4 MaverickWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-5.1 Instant significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Llama 4 Maverick is 12.4x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-5.1 Instant vs Llama 4 Maverick — which is better?
GPT-5.1 Instant (by OpenAI) and Llama 4 Maverick (by Meta) 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-5.1 Instant outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU), while Llama 4 Maverick is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-5.1 Instant significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Llama 4 Maverick is roughly 12.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Llama 4 Maverick also accepts a larger context window (1,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-5.1 Instant if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
Choose Llama 4 Maverick if…
- cost matters — it's about 12.4x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,000,000 token context window
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.1 Instant outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU), while Llama 4 Maverick is better at 0 benchmarks.
GPT-5.1 Instant significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-5.1 Instant ($1.25/1M tokens) is 7.4x more expensive than Llama 4 Maverick ($0.17/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5.1 Instant ($10.00/1M tokens) is 16.7x more expensive than Llama 4 Maverick ($0.60/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Instant is more expensive than Llama 4 Maverick.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Llama 4 Maverick accepts 1,000,000 input tokens compared to GPT-5.1 Instant's 400,000 tokens. Llama 4 Maverick can generate longer responses up to 1,000,000 tokens, while GPT-5.1 Instant is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GPT-5.1 Instant and Llama 4 Maverick support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-5.1 Instant
Llama 4 Maverick
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-5.1 Instant is licensed under a proprietary license, while Llama 4 Maverick uses Llama 4 Community License Agreement.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Llama 4 Community License Agreement
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-5.1 Instant was released on 2025-11-12, while Llama 4 Maverick was released on 2025-04-05.
GPT-5.1 Instant is 7 months newer than Llama 4 Maverick.
Nov 12, 2025
7 months ago
7mo newerApr 5, 2025
1.2 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GPT-5.1 Instant is available from OpenAI. Llama 4 Maverick is available from DeepInfra, Novita, Lambda, Groq, Fireworks, Together, Sambanova.
GPT-5.1 Instant
Llama 4 Maverick
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.1 Instant vs Llama 4 Maverick.