Model Comparison

GPT-5.6 Luna vs Nova LiteWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-5.6 Luna significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Nova Lite is 21.4x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-5.6 Luna vs Nova Lite — which is better?

GPT-5.6 Luna (by OpenAI) and Nova Lite (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-5.6 Luna outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Nova Lite is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-5.6 Luna significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Nova Lite is roughly 21.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-5.6 Luna also accepts a larger context window (1,050,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-5.6 Luna if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,050,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Choose Nova Lite if…

  • cost matters — it's about 21.4x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

GPT-5.6 Luna outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Nova Lite is better at 0 benchmarks.

GPT-5.6 Luna significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Nova Lite costs less

For input processing, GPT-5.6 Luna ($1.00/1M tokens) is 16.7x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.06/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-5.6 Luna ($6.00/1M tokens) is 25.0x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.24/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-5.6 Luna is more expensive than Nova Lite.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Luna
Input tokens$1.00
Output tokens$6.00
Best providerOpenAI
Amazon
Nova Lite
Input tokens$0.06
Output tokens$0.24
Best providerAWS Bedrock
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-5.6 Luna accepts 1,050,000 input tokens compared to Nova Lite's 300,000 tokens. GPT-5.6 Luna can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Nova Lite is limited to 2,048 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Luna
Input1,050,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Amazon
Nova Lite
Input300,000 tokens
Output2,048 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-5.6 Luna and Nova Lite support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

GPT-5.6 Luna

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Nova Lite

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.

Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.

GPT-5.6 Luna

Proprietary

Closed source

Nova Lite

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-5.6 Luna was released on 2026-07-09, while Nova Lite was released on 2024-11-20.

GPT-5.6 Luna is 20 months newer than Nova Lite.

GPT-5.6 Luna

Jul 9, 2026

1 weeks ago

1.6yr newer
Nova Lite

Nov 20, 2024

1.7 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-5.6 Luna has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-16, while Nova Lite's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-5.6 Luna's training data extends to 2026-02-16, but cannot make a direct comparison without Nova Lite's cutoff date.

GPT-5.6 Luna

Feb 2026

Nova Lite

—

Provider Availability

GPT-5.6 Luna is available from OpenAI. Nova Lite is available from Bedrock.

GPT-5.6 Luna

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $1.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $6.00/1M

Nova Lite

bedrock logo
AWS Bedrock
Input Price:Input: $0.06/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.24/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
Higher GPQA score (92.3% vs 42.0%)
Amazon
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GPT-5.6 Luna and Nova Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GPT-5.6 Luna
✓ Preferred
Nova Lite
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Luna
Amazon
Nova Lite

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-5.6 Luna vs Nova Lite.

Which is better, GPT-5.6 Luna or Nova Lite?

GPT-5.6 Luna significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-5.6 Luna is made by OpenAI and Nova Lite is made by Amazon. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-5.6 Luna compare to Nova Lite in benchmarks?

GPT-5.6 Luna scores Connectors: 99.9%, HealthBench Consensus: 95.1%, GPQA: 92.3%, Search and Function-Calling: 89.7%, Capture-the-Flag Challenges (Internal): 85.2%. Nova Lite scores GSM8k: 94.5%, ARC-C: 92.4%, DocVQA: 92.4%, IFEval: 89.7%, Translation en→Set1 COMET22: 88.8%.

Is GPT-5.6 Luna cheaper than Nova Lite?

Nova Lite is 16.7x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-5.6 Luna costs $1.00/M input and $6.00/M output via openai. Nova Lite costs $0.06/M input and $0.24/M output via bedrock.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-5.6 Luna and Nova Lite?

GPT-5.6 Luna supports 1.1M tokens and Nova Lite supports 300K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GPT-5.6 Luna and Nova Lite?

Key differences include context window (1.1M vs 300K), input pricing ($1.00 vs $0.06/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-5.6 Luna and Nova Lite?

GPT-5.6 Luna is developed by OpenAI and Nova Lite is developed by Amazon.

Related comparisons