Model Comparison
GPT-5.1 Instant vs Nova ProWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-5.1 Instant significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Nova Pro is 2.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-5.1 Instant vs Nova Pro — which is better?
GPT-5.1 Instant (by OpenAI) and Nova Pro (by Amazon) 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 Nova Pro is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-5.1 Instant significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Nova Pro is roughly 2.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.1 Instant also accepts a larger context window (400,000 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 process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
Choose Nova Pro if…
- cost matters — it's about 2.5x cheaper per token
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.1 Instant outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU), while Nova Pro 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 1.6x more expensive than Nova Pro ($0.80/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5.1 Instant ($10.00/1M tokens) is 3.1x more expensive than Nova Pro ($3.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Instant is more expensive than Nova Pro.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.1 Instant accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to Nova Pro's 300,000 tokens. Nova Pro can generate longer responses up to 300,000 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 Nova Pro support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-5.1 Instant
Nova Pro
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-5.1 Instant was released on 2025-11-12, while Nova Pro was released on 2024-11-20.
GPT-5.1 Instant is 12 months newer than Nova Pro.
Nov 12, 2025
6 months ago
11mo newerNov 20, 2024
1.5 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. Nova Pro is available from Bedrock.
GPT-5.1 Instant
Nova Pro
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Nova Pro
View detailsAmazon
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.1 Instant vs Nova Pro.