Claude 3.5 Haiku vs o4-mini
Claude 3.5 Haiku vs o4-mini: Claude 3.5 Haiku is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.80/M vs $1.10/M input tokens), while o4-mini is better for long-context tasks (2,000,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Claude 3.5 Haiku for lower token spend and choose o4-mini when your workload needs longer context.
Compare input and output token pricing, context windows, and monthly cost estimates on one page so you can pick the cheaper model fast.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Claude 3.5 Haiku
o4-mini
Cost Differences
o4-mini costs more than Claude 3.5 Haiku
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Claude 3.5 Haiku. At the default workload, Claude 3.5 Haiku saves about $1.50/month ($18.25/year) versus o4-mini.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Claude 3.5 Haiku | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $0.80/1M tokens | $1.10/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $4.00/1M tokens | $4.40/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 2,000,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 8,192 tokens | 131,072 tokens |
| Category | efficient | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvision | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 11/4/2024 | 4/16/2025 |
Claude 3.5 Haiku vs o4-mini: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Claude 3.5 Haiku and o4-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Claude 3.5 Haiku is the more affordable option at $0.80/1M input tokens — 27% cheaper than o4-mini. Meanwhile, o4-mini offers a significantly larger context window at 2,000,000 tokens vs 200,000 for Claude 3.5 Haiku.
These models come from different providers — Anthropic and OpenAI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with Anthropic, switching to OpenAIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
These models target different tiers: Claude 3.5 Haiku is a efficient model while o4-mini is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. o4-mini targets more demanding workloads, while Claude 3.5 Haiku provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.
Output costs matter too. Claude 3.5 Haiku charges $4.00/1M output tokens vs $4.40 for o4-mini. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Claude 3.5 Haiku has the edge here at $4.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Claude 3.5 Haiku supports vision (image inputs) while o4-mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Claude 3.5 Haiku when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You're already using Anthropic's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Choose o4-mini when:
- • You need a larger context window (2,000,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (reasoning, code)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 131,072 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Claude 3.5 Haiku
- • Input pricing: $0.80/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 8,192 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than o4-mini
o4-mini
- • Input pricing: $1.10/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.40/M tokens
- • Context window: 2,000,000 tokens
- • Max output: 131,072 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Claude 3.5 Haiku
- • Higher output cost than Claude 3.5 Haiku
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Claude 3.5 Haiku (Anthropic)
o4-mini (OpenAI)
Start using Claude 3.5 Haiku today
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Sign Up for OpenAI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Claude 3.5 Haiku or o4-mini?▼
What is the context window difference between Claude 3.5 Haiku and o4-mini?▼
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
Where can I compare Anthropic and OpenAI API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼
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