Codex Mini vs o4-mini Deep Research

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OpenAI

Codex Mini

OpenAI

o4-mini Deep Research

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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

o4-mini Deep Research

Per Request:$0.006000

Daily:$0.60

Monthly:$18.00

Yearly:$219.00

Cost Differences

+$0.001500

Per Request

+$0.15

Daily

+$4.50

Monthly

+$54.75

Yearly

o4-mini Deep Research costs more than Codex Mini

Feature Comparison

Feature	Codex Mini	o4-mini Deep Research
Provider	OpenAI	OpenAI
Input Price	$1.50/1M tokens	$2.00/1M tokens
Output Price	$6.00/1M tokens	$8.00/1M tokens
Context Window	200,000 tokens	200,000 tokens
Max Output	32,768 tokens	32,768 tokens
Category	efficient	reasoning
Capabilities	textcodereasoning	textreasoningcode
Release Date	2/2/2026	6/26/2025

Codex Mini vs o4-mini Deep Research: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between Codex Mini and o4-mini Deep Research depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Codex Mini is the more affordable option at $1.50/1M input tokens — 25% cheaper than o4-mini Deep Research.

These models target different tiers: Codex Mini is a efficient 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 Codex Mini provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.

Output costs matter too. Codex Mini charges $6.00/1M 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. Codex Mini has the edge here at $6.00/1M output tokens.

Best Use Cases

Choose Codex Mini when:

• Budget is a primary concern
• You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
• You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads

Choose o4-mini Deep Research when:

• 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)

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o4-mini Deep Research (OpenAI)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Codex Mini or o4-mini Deep Research?▼

Codex Mini is cheaper for input tokens at $1.50 per million tokens vs $2.00 for o4-mini Deep Research — that's 25% savings on input costs.

What is the context window difference between Codex Mini and o4-mini Deep Research?▼

Codex Mini supports 200,000 tokens while o4-mini Deep Research supports 200,000 tokens — a difference of 0 tokens in favor of Codex Mini.

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 Codex Mini offers a larger context window (200,000 vs 200,000 tokens). Choose Codex Mini for budget sensitivity or Codex 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 o4-mini Deep Research costs about $18.00/month. Overall, Codex Mini has lower combined input + output rates ($1.50 in, $6.00 out) vs o4-mini Deep Research.