Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5
Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5: GPT-5.5 is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($5.00/M vs $15.00/M input tokens), while GPT-5.5 is better for long-context tasks (1,050,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose GPT-5.5 for lower token spend and choose GPT-5.5 when your workload needs longer context.
Common pricing searches covered on this page: Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5 • Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5 pricing • Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5 API pricing and opus 4 vs 5 5 pricing.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Claude Opus 4
GPT-5.5
Cost Differences
GPT-5.5 costs less than Claude Opus 4
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: GPT-5.5. At the default workload, GPT-5.5 saves about $97.50/month ($1,186.25/year) versus Claude Opus 4.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Claude Opus 4 | GPT-5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $15.00/1M tokens | $5.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $75.00/1M tokens | $30.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 1,050,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Category | flagship | flagship |
| Capabilities | textvisioncodereasoning | textvisioncodereasoning |
| Release Date | 5/14/2025 | 4/24/2026 |
Claude Opus 4 vs GPT-5.5: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Claude Opus 4 and GPT-5.5 depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. GPT-5.5 is the more affordable option at $5.00/1M input tokens — 67% cheaper than Claude Opus 4. Meanwhile, GPT-5.5 offers a significantly larger context window at 1,050,000 tokens vs 200,000 for Claude Opus 4.
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.
Both models are in the flagship category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: GPT-5.5 would save you roughly $9,750.00/month compared to Claude Opus 4. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Claude Opus 4 charges $75.00/1M output tokens vs $30.00 for GPT-5.5. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. GPT-5.5 has the edge here at $30.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Both models support vision (image understanding), so you can send images alongside text prompts with either option.
Best Use Cases
Choose Claude Opus 4 when:
- • You're already using Anthropic's API ecosystem
Choose GPT-5.5 when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need a larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 128,000 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Claude Opus 4
- • Input pricing: $15.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $75.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than GPT-5.5
- • Higher output cost than GPT-5.5
- • Smaller context window than GPT-5.5
GPT-5.5
- • Input pricing: $5.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $30.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 1,050,000 tokens
- • Max output: 128,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Claude Opus 4 (Anthropic)
GPT-5.5 (OpenAI)
Start using Claude Opus 4 today
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Sign Up for OpenAI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Claude Opus 4 or GPT-5.5?▼
What is the context window difference between Claude Opus 4 and GPT-5.5?▼
Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?▼
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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