GPT-4.1 vs Magistral Medium
Pricing verdict: GPT-4.1 vs Magistral Medium: input pricing is tied at $2.00/M, Magistral Medium is cheaper for output-heavy usage ($5.00/M output), and GPT-4.1 is better for long-context tasks (200,000 tokens).
Direct answer: input pricing is tied. Choose Magistral Medium for cheaper output and choose GPT-4.1 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)
GPT-4.1
Magistral Medium
Cost Differences
Magistral Medium costs less than GPT-4.1
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Magistral Medium. At the default workload, Magistral Medium saves about $4.50/month ($54.75/year) versus GPT-4.1.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | GPT-4.1 | Magistral Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $2.00/1M tokens | $2.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $8.00/1M tokens | $5.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,768 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | flagship | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisioncode | textreasoning |
| Release Date | 4/14/2025 | 12/15/2025 |
GPT-4.1 vs Magistral Medium: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between GPT-4.1 and Magistral Medium depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Both models charge $2.00/1M input tokens, but Magistral Medium is cheaper on output at $5.00/1M. Meanwhile, GPT-4.1 offers a significantly larger context window at 200,000 tokens vs 128,000 for Magistral Medium.
These models come from different providers — OpenAI and Mistral AI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with OpenAI, switching to Mistral AIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
These models target different tiers: GPT-4.1 is a flagship model while Magistral Medium is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. GPT-4.1 is built for complex tasks that require deeper reasoning, while Magistral Medium offers better value for routine operations.
Output costs matter too. GPT-4.1 charges $8.00/1M output tokens vs $5.00 for Magistral Medium. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Magistral Medium has the edge here at $5.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: GPT-4.1 supports vision (image inputs) while Magistral Medium is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose GPT-4.1 when:
- • You need a larger context window (200,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision, code)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose Magistral Medium when:
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
GPT-4.1
- • Input pricing: $2.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $8.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher output cost than Magistral Medium
Magistral Medium
- • Input pricing: $2.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $5.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than GPT-4.1
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
GPT-4.1 (OpenAI)
Magistral Medium (Mistral AI)
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Sign Up for Mistral AI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-4.1 or Magistral Medium?▼
What is the context window difference between GPT-4.1 and Magistral Medium?▼
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Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
Where can I compare OpenAI and Mistral AI API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼
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