Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
GPT-4.1
GPT-4o
Cost Differences
GPT-4o costs more than GPT-4.1
Feature Comparison
| Feature | GPT-4.1 | GPT-4o |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $2.00/1M tokens | $2.50/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $8.00/1M tokens | $10.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,768 tokens | 16,384 tokens |
| Category | flagship | flagship |
| Capabilities | textvisioncode | textvisionaudio |
| Release Date | 4/14/2025 | 5/13/2024 |
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-4o: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between GPT-4.1 and GPT-4o depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. GPT-4.1 is the more affordable option at $2.00/1M input tokens — 20% cheaper than GPT-4o. Meanwhile, GPT-4.1 offers a significantly larger context window at 200,000 tokens vs 128,000 for GPT-4o.
Both models are in the flagship category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: GPT-4.1 would save you roughly $450.00/month compared to GPT-4o. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. GPT-4.1 charges $8.00/1M output tokens vs $10.00 for GPT-4o. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. GPT-4.1 has the edge here at $8.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Both models support vision (image understanding), so you can send images alongside text prompts with either option.
Best Use Cases
Choose GPT-4.1 when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need a larger context window (200,000 tokens)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 32,768 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose GPT-4o 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
GPT-4.1 (OpenAI)
GPT-4o (OpenAI)
Start using GPT-4.1 today
Sign Up for OpenAI →Start using GPT-4o today
Sign Up for OpenAI →