Codex Mini vs o3-mini

Compare OpenAI and OpenAI AI models

OpenAI

Codex Mini

OpenAI

o3-mini

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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

o3-mini

Per Request:$0.003300

Daily:$0.33

Monthly:$9.90

Yearly:$120.45

Cost Differences

$0.001200

Per Request

$0.12

Daily

$3.60

Monthly

$43.80

Yearly

o3-mini costs less than Codex Mini

Feature Comparison

Feature	Codex Mini	o3-mini
Provider	OpenAI	OpenAI
Input Price	$1.50/1M tokens	$1.10/1M tokens
Output Price	$6.00/1M tokens	$4.40/1M tokens
Context Window	200,000 tokens	500,000 tokens
Max Output	32,768 tokens	65,536 tokens
Category	efficient	reasoning
Capabilities	textcodereasoning	textreasoningcode
Release Date	2/2/2026	1/31/2025

Codex Mini vs o3-mini: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between Codex Mini and o3-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o3-mini is the more affordable option at $1.10/1M input tokens — 27% cheaper than Codex Mini. Meanwhile, o3-mini offers a significantly larger context window at 500,000 tokens vs 200,000 for Codex Mini.

These models target different tiers: Codex Mini is a efficient model while o3-mini is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. o3-mini 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 $4.40 for o3-mini. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o3-mini has the edge here at $4.40/1M output tokens.

Best Use Cases

Choose Codex Mini when:

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

Choose o3-mini when:

• Budget is a primary concern
• You need a larger context window (500,000 tokens)
• You need longer outputs (up to 65,536 tokens)
• You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem

Try Different Scenarios

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

Codex Mini (OpenAI)

Cost Calculator

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Model

Input Tokens

Output Tokens

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o3-mini (OpenAI)

Cost Calculator

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Start using Codex Mini today

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Codex Mini or o3-mini?▼

o3-mini is cheaper for input tokens at $1.10 per million tokens vs $1.50 for Codex Mini — that's 27% savings on input costs.

What is the context window difference between Codex Mini and o3-mini?▼

Codex Mini supports 200,000 tokens while o3-mini supports 500,000 tokens — a difference of 300,000 tokens in favor of o3-mini.

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

Both models support text, code, reasoning. For ai agent / agentic workflows, o3-mini is the lower-cost option, while o3-mini offers a larger context window (500,000 vs 200,000 tokens). Choose o3-mini for budget sensitivity or o3-mini 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 o3-mini costs about $9.90/month. Overall, o3-mini has lower combined input + output rates ($1.10 in, $4.40 out) vs Codex Mini.