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GPT-4 Turbo vs o1-mini

GPT-4 Turbo vs o1-mini: o1-mini is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($1.10/M vs $10.00/M input tokens), while GPT-4 Turbo is better for long-context tasks (128,000 tokens).

Direct answer: choose o1-mini for lower token spend and choose GPT-4 Turbo when your workload needs longer context.

Compare input and output token pricing, context windows, and monthly cost estimates on one page so you can pick the cheaper model fast.

OpenAI
GPT-4 Turbo
vs
OpenAI
o1-mini

Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)

GPT-4 Turbo

Per Request:$0.025
Daily:$2.50
Monthly:$75.00
Yearly:$912.50

o1-mini

Per Request:$0.003300
Daily:$0.33
Monthly:$9.90
Yearly:$120.45

Cost Differences

$0.0217
Per Request
$2.17
Daily
$65.10
Monthly
$792.05
Yearly

o1-mini costs less than GPT-4 Turbo

Quick Recommendation

Winner for direct API pricing: o1-mini. At the default workload, o1-mini saves about $65.10/month ($792.05/year) versus GPT-4 Turbo.

Feature Comparison

FeatureGPT-4 Turboo1-mini
ProviderOpenAIOpenAI
Input Price$10.00/1M tokens$1.10/1M tokens
Output Price$30.00/1M tokens$4.40/1M tokens
Context Window128,000 tokens128,000 tokens
Max Output4,096 tokens65,536 tokens
Categoryflagshipreasoning
Capabilities
textvisioncode
textreasoning
Release Date4/9/20249/12/2024

GPT-4 Turbo vs o1-mini: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between GPT-4 Turbo and o1-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o1-mini is the more affordable option at $1.10/1M input tokens89% cheaper than GPT-4 Turbo.

These models target different tiers: GPT-4 Turbo is a flagship model while o1-mini is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. GPT-4 Turbo is built for complex tasks that require deeper reasoning, while o1-mini offers better value for routine operations.

Output costs matter too. GPT-4 Turbo charges $30.00/1M 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: GPT-4 Turbo supports vision (image inputs) while o1-mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.

Best Use Cases

Choose GPT-4 Turbo when:

  • • You need more capabilities (vision, code)
  • • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem

Choose o1-mini when:

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

Pros and Caveats at a Glance

GPT-4 Turbo

  • Input pricing: $10.00/M tokens
  • Output pricing: $30.00/M tokens
  • Context window: 128,000 tokens
  • Max output: 4,096 tokens

Watch out for

  • Higher input cost than o1-mini
  • 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

  • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.

Try Different Scenarios

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

GPT-4 Turbo (OpenAI)

o1-mini (OpenAI)

Start using GPT-4 Turbo today

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Start using o1-mini today

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GPT-4 Turbo or o1-mini?
o1-mini is cheaper for input tokens at $1.10 per million tokens vs $10.00 for GPT-4 Turbo — that's 89% savings on input costs.
What is the context window difference between GPT-4 Turbo and o1-mini?
GPT-4 Turbo supports 128,000 tokens while o1-mini supports 128,000 tokens — a difference of 0 tokens in favor of GPT-4 Turbo.
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?
Both models support text. For ai chatbot, o1-mini is the lower-cost option, while GPT-4 Turbo offers a larger context window (128,000 vs 128,000 tokens). Choose o1-mini for budget sensitivity or GPT-4 Turbo 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, GPT-4 Turbo costs about $75.00/month and o1-mini costs about $9.90/month. Overall, o1-mini has lower combined input + output rates ($1.10 in, $4.40 out) vs GPT-4 Turbo.

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