GPT-4o mini vs GPT-4 Turbo
Pricing, context window, and benchmark comparison · Last updated April 2026
GPT-4o mini is cheaper than GPT-4 Turbo at $0.15/1M/1M vs $10.00/1M/1M input tokens — a 66.7x cost difference. GPT-4o mini scores higher on quality benchmarks (ELO 1272). Choose GPT-4o mini for cost-sensitive workloads; both are strong choices depending on your budget.
Which is cheaper: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
GPT-4o mini is the cheaper option at $0.15/1M per 1M input tokens, compared to $10.00/1M for GPT-4 Turbo. That is a 66.7x cost difference on input tokens. Output pricing follows a similar pattern: GPT-4o mini charges $0.60/1M/1M vs $30.00/1M/1M for GPT-4 Turbo.
Which has better quality: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
Based on LMSYS Chatbot Arena rankings, GPT-4o mini achieves a higher ELO score (1272 vs 1260), suggesting stronger performance on open-ended tasks. GPT-4o mini excels at extremely low cost — cheapest flagship-family model. GPT-4 Turbo is known for strong general reasoning.
Which should you choose: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
- → Extremely low cost — cheapest flagship-family model
- → Fast inference
- → Good at structured data extraction
- → Strong general reasoning
- → Good at following complex multi-step instructions
- → Reliable tool/function calling
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
GPT-4o mini is cheaper at $0.15/1M per 1M input tokens, making it 66.7x more affordable.
Which has better quality: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
GPT-4o mini scores higher on the LMSYS Chatbot Arena with an ELO of 1272, suggesting better overall quality for most tasks.
Which has a larger context window: GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
Both GPT-4o mini and GPT-4 Turbo have the same context window.
Should I choose GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo?
Choose GPT-4o mini if cost is the priority. Choose GPT-4o mini if benchmark quality is most important. Consider your specific use case: GPT-4o mini is best for customer-support and data-extraction, while GPT-4 Turbo excels at coding and function-calling.
Is GPT-4o mini or GPT-4 Turbo open source?
GPT-4o mini is proprietary. GPT-4 Turbo is proprietary.