Model Comparison
Grok 4 Fast vs Grok 4.5Which is better in 2026?
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Grok 4 Fast is 10.9x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Grok 4 Fast vs Grok 4.5 — which is better?
Grok 4 Fast (by xAI) and Grok 4.5 (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.
Grok 4 Fast outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Grok 4 Fast is roughly 10.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok 4 Fast also accepts a larger context window (2,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Grok 4 Fast if…
- cost matters — it's about 10.9x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 2,000,000 token context window
Choose Grok 4.5 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Grok 4 Fast outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok 4 Fast ($0.20/1M tokens) is 10.0x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok 4 Fast ($0.50/1M tokens) is 12.0x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.5 is more expensive than Grok 4 Fast.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok 4 Fast accepts 2,000,000 input tokens compared to Grok 4.5's 500,000 tokens. Only Grok 4 Fast specifies output context (30,000 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Grok 4 Fast and Grok 4.5 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Grok 4 Fast
Grok 4.5
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
Grok 4 Fast was released on 2025-08-28, while Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-16.
Grok 4.5 is 11 months newer than Grok 4 Fast.
Aug 28, 2025
10 months ago
Jul 16, 2026
5 days ago
10mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok 4.5 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-01, while Grok 4 Fast's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Grok 4.5's training data extends to 2026-02-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without Grok 4 Fast's cutoff date.
—
Feb 2026
Provider Availability
Grok 4 Fast is available from xAI. Grok 4.5 is available from xAI.
Grok 4 Fast
Grok 4.5
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok 4 Fast and Grok 4.5 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Grok 4 Fast vs Grok 4.5.