Grok-4.1 vs Grok-4.1 Thinking
Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking are closely matched at 19.6 and 16.0 on the LLM Stats Score. Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking cost the same.
xAI · xAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 19.6 and 16.0.
In the 3 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Grok-4.1 Thinking wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Grok-4.1
- you want predictable pricing at $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output
Choose Grok-4.1 Thinking
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 3 exact shared results
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Individual benchmarks
4 reported for Grok-4.1 · 11 for Grok-4.1 Thinking
Grok-4.1 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-4.1 Thinking is better at 3 benchmarks (Creative Writing v3, EQ-Bench, LMArena Text Leaderboard).
Grok-4.1 Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok-4.1 ($3.00/1M tokens) costs the same as Grok-4.1 Thinking ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok-4.1 ($15.00/1M tokens) costs the same as Grok-4.1 Thinking ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking cost the same.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 256,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 8,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Grok-4.1
Grok-4.1 Thinking
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
Both models were released on 2025-11-17.
They likely represent similar generations of model development.
Nov 17, 2025
10 months ago
Nov 17, 2025
10 months 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
Grok-4.1 is available from xAI. Grok-4.1 Thinking is available from xAI.
Grok-4.1
Grok-4.1 Thinking
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok-4.1 and Grok-4.1 Thinking side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Grok-4.1 vs Grok-4.1 Thinking.