Claude Sonnet 5 vs o4-mini Deep Research
Pricing verdict: Claude Sonnet 5 vs o4-mini Deep Research: input pricing is tied at $2.00/M, o4-mini Deep Research is cheaper for output-heavy usage ($8.00/M output), and Claude Sonnet 5 is better for long-context tasks (1,000,000 tokens).
Direct answer: input pricing is tied. Choose o4-mini Deep Research for cheaper output and choose Claude Sonnet 5 when your workload needs longer context.
Compare API pricing, input and output token costs, context windows, and monthly estimates on one page so you can pick the right model fast.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Claude Sonnet 5
o4-mini Deep Research
Cost Differences
o4-mini Deep Research costs less than Claude Sonnet 5
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: o4-mini Deep Research. At the default workload, o4-mini Deep Research saves about $3.00/month ($36.50/year) versus Claude Sonnet 5.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Claude Sonnet 5 | o4-mini Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $2.00/1M tokens | $2.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $10.00/1M tokens | $8.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 1,000,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 128,000 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | balanced | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisioncodereasoningcomputer-use | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 6/30/2026 | 6/26/2025 |
Claude Sonnet 5 vs o4-mini Deep Research: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Claude Sonnet 5 and o4-mini Deep Research depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Both models charge $2.00/1M input tokens, but o4-mini Deep Research is cheaper on output at $8.00/1M. Meanwhile, Claude Sonnet 5 offers a significantly larger context window at 1,000,000 tokens vs 200,000 for o4-mini Deep Research.
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 Sonnet 5 is a balanced model while o4-mini Deep Research is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. o4-mini Deep Research targets more demanding workloads, while Claude Sonnet 5 provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.
Output costs matter too. Claude Sonnet 5 charges $10.00/1M output tokens vs $8.00 for o4-mini Deep Research. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o4-mini Deep Research has the edge here at $8.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Claude Sonnet 5 supports vision (image inputs) while o4-mini Deep Research is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Claude Sonnet 5 when:
- • You need a larger context window (1,000,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision, computer-use)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 128,000 tokens)
- • You're already using Anthropic's API ecosystem
Choose o4-mini Deep Research when:
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Claude Sonnet 5
- • Input pricing: $2.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $10.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 1,000,000 tokens
- • Max output: 128,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher output cost than o4-mini Deep Research
o4-mini Deep Research
- • Input pricing: $2.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $8.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than Claude Sonnet 5
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Claude Sonnet 5 (Anthropic)
o4-mini Deep Research (OpenAI)
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Which is cheaper, Claude Sonnet 5 or o4-mini Deep Research?▼
What is the context window difference between Claude Sonnet 5 and o4-mini Deep Research?▼
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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