Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking vs o1-mini
Pricing verdict: Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking vs o1-mini: Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.75/M vs $1.10/M input tokens), while Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking is better for long-context tasks (131,072 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking for lower token spend and choose Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking 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)
Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking
o1-mini
Cost Differences
o1-mini costs more than Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking. At the default workload, Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking saves about $0.90/month ($10.95/year) versus o1-mini.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking | o1-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | |
| Input Price | $0.75/1M tokens | $1.10/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $4.50/1M tokens | $4.40/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 131,072 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 65,536 tokens | 65,536 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisionaudiovideoreasoningstreaming | textreasoning |
| Release Date | 9/15/2026 | 9/12/2024 |
Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking vs o1-mini: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking and o1-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking is the more affordable option at $0.75/1M input tokens — 32% cheaper than o1-mini. Meanwhile, Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking offers a significantly larger context window at 131,072 tokens vs 128,000 for o1-mini.
These models come from different providers — Google and OpenAI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with Google, switching to OpenAIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
Both models are in the reasoning category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking would save you roughly $90.00/month compared to o1-mini. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking charges $4.50/1M output tokens vs $4.40 for o1-mini. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o1-mini has the edge here at $4.40/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking supports vision (image inputs) while o1-mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need a larger context window (131,072 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision, audio, video, streaming)
- • You're already using Google's API ecosystem
Choose o1-mini when:
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking
- • Input pricing: $0.75/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.50/M tokens
- • Context window: 131,072 tokens
- • Max output: 65,536 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher output cost than o1-mini
o1-mini
- • Input pricing: $1.10/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.40/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 65,536 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking
- • Smaller context window than Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking (Google)
o1-mini (OpenAI)
Start using Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking today
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Sign Up for OpenAI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking or o1-mini?▼
What is the context window difference between Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking and o1-mini?▼
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
Where can I compare Google and OpenAI API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼
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