Grok-4 vs Phi 4
Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Phi 4 is 68.6x cheaper per token.
xAI · Microsoft · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok-4 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Phi 4 is better at 0 benchmarks. Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Phi 4 is roughly 68.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok-4 also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Grok-4
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2025
Choose Phi 4
- cost matters — it's about 68.6x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Grok-4 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Phi 4 is better at 0 benchmarks.
Grok-4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok-4 ($3.00/1M tokens) is 42.9x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.07/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok-4 ($15.00/1M tokens) is 107.1x more expensive than Phi 4 ($0.14/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-4 is more expensive than Phi 4.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok-4 accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to Phi 4's 16,000 tokens. Phi 4 can generate longer responses up to 16,000 tokens, while Grok-4 is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Grok-4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas Phi 4 does not.
Grok-4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Grok-4
Phi 4
License
Usage and distribution terms
Grok-4 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Phi 4 uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Grok-4 was released on 2025-07-09, while Phi 4 was released on 2024-12-12.
Grok-4 is 7 months newer than Phi 4.
Jul 9, 2025
1.1 years ago
6mo newerDec 12, 2024
1.7 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok-4 has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-12-31, while Phi 4 has a cutoff of 2024-06-01.
Grok-4 has more recent training data (up to 2024-12-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Phi 4 (2024-06-01).
Dec 2024
6 mo newerJun 2024
Provider Availability
Grok-4 is available from xAI. Phi 4 is available from DeepInfra.
Grok-4
Phi 4
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok-4 and Phi 4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Grok-4 vs Phi 4.