Codex Mini vs Gemini 3.6 Flash

Pricing verdict: Codex Mini vs Gemini 3.6 Flash: input pricing is tied at $1.50/M, Codex Mini is cheaper for output-heavy usage ($6.00/M output), and Gemini 3.6 Flash is better for long-context tasks (1,000,000 tokens).

Direct answer: input pricing is tied. Choose Codex Mini for cheaper output and choose Gemini 3.6 Flash 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.

OpenAI

Codex Mini

Google

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Try OpenAI →Try Google →

Codex Mini pricing page Gemini 3.6 Flash pricing page OpenAI provider overview Google provider overview

Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)

Codex Mini

Per Request:$0.004500

Daily:$0.45

Monthly:$13.50

Yearly:$164.25

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Per Request:$0.005250

Daily:$0.525

Monthly:$15.75

Yearly:$191.625

Cost Differences

+$0.000750

Per Request

+$0.075

Daily

+$2.25

Monthly

+$27.375

Yearly

Gemini 3.6 Flash costs more than Codex Mini

Quick Recommendation

Winner for direct API pricing: Codex Mini. At the default workload, Codex Mini saves about $2.25/month ($27.375/year) versus Gemini 3.6 Flash.

Codex Mini full pricing breakdown Gemini 3.6 Flash full pricing breakdown OpenAI API pricing details Google API pricing details OpenAI vs Google API pricing Codex Mini vs o4-mini Deep Research Codex Mini vs o3 Deep Research

Feature Comparison

Feature	Codex Mini	Gemini 3.6 Flash
Provider	OpenAI	Google
Input Price	$1.50/1M tokens	$1.50/1M tokens
Output Price	$6.00/1M tokens	$7.50/1M tokens
Context Window	200,000 tokens	1,000,000 tokens
Max Output	32,768 tokens	65,536 tokens
Category	efficient	balanced
Capabilities	textcodereasoning	textvisionaudiovideocodereasoning
Release Date	2/2/2026	7/21/2026

Codex Mini vs Gemini 3.6 Flash: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between Codex Mini and Gemini 3.6 Flash depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Both models charge $1.50/1M input tokens, but Codex Mini is cheaper on output at $6.00/1M. Meanwhile, Gemini 3.6 Flash offers a significantly larger context window at 1,000,000 tokens vs 200,000 for Codex Mini.

These models come from different providers — OpenAI and Google — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with OpenAI, switching to Googleinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.

These models target different tiers: Codex Mini is a efficient model while Gemini 3.6 Flash is balanced. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Gemini 3.6 Flash targets more demanding workloads, while Codex Mini provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.

Output costs matter too. Codex Mini charges $6.00/1M output tokens vs $7.50 for Gemini 3.6 Flash. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Codex Mini has the edge here at $6.00/1M output tokens.

Multimodal capabilities: Gemini 3.6 Flash supports vision (image inputs) while Codex Mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.

Best Use Cases

Choose Codex Mini when:

• You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
• You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads

Choose Gemini 3.6 Flash when:

• You need a larger context window (1,000,000 tokens)
• You need more capabilities (vision, audio, video)
• You need longer outputs (up to 65,536 tokens)
• You're already using Google's API ecosystem

Pros and Caveats at a Glance

Codex Mini

• Input pricing: $1.50/M tokens
• Output pricing: $6.00/M tokens
• Context window: 200,000 tokens
• Max output: 32,768 tokens

Watch out for

• Smaller context window than Gemini 3.6 Flash

Gemini 3.6 Flash

• Input pricing: $1.50/M tokens
• Output pricing: $7.50/M tokens
• Context window: 1,000,000 tokens
• Max output: 65,536 tokens

Watch out for

• Higher output cost than Codex Mini

Try Different Scenarios

Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns

Codex Mini (OpenAI)

Cost Calculator

Provider

Model

Input Tokens

Output Tokens

Requests/Day

Select a provider and model to see costs

Gemini 3.6 Flash (Google)

Cost Calculator

Provider

Model

Input Tokens

Output Tokens

Requests/Day

Select a provider and model to see costs

Start using Codex Mini today

Start using Gemini 3.6 Flash today

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Codex Mini or Gemini 3.6 Flash?▼

Input pricing is tied at $1.50 per million tokens. Codex Mini is cheaper on output at $6.00 vs $7.50 for Gemini 3.6 Flash, so it wins for output-heavy usage.

What is the context window difference between Codex Mini and Gemini 3.6 Flash?▼

Codex Mini supports 200,000 tokens while Gemini 3.6 Flash supports 1,000,000 tokens — a difference of 800,000 tokens in favor of Gemini 3.6 Flash.

Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?▼

Both models support text, code, reasoning. For ai agent / agentic workflows, Codex Mini is the lower-cost option, while Gemini 3.6 Flash offers a larger context window (1,000,000 vs 200,000 tokens). Choose Codex Mini for budget sensitivity or Gemini 3.6 Flash for longer context tasks.

Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼

At 100 requests/day with 1,000 input and 500 output tokens each, Codex Mini costs about $13.50/month and Gemini 3.6 Flash costs about $15.75/month. Overall, Codex Mini has lower combined input + output rates ($1.50 in, $6.00 out) vs Gemini 3.6 Flash.

Where can I compare OpenAI and Google API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼

See the OpenAI vs Google provider comparison page for lineup-level averages, then review each model page for exact per-token rates.