GPT-4o mini vs GPT-5.6 Luna
Pricing verdict: GPT-4o mini vs GPT-5.6 Luna: GPT-4o mini is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.15/M vs $1.00/M input tokens), while GPT-5.6 Luna is better for long-context tasks (1,050,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose GPT-4o mini for lower token spend and choose GPT-5.6 Luna 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-4o mini
GPT-5.6 Luna
Cost Differences
GPT-5.6 Luna costs more than GPT-4o mini
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: GPT-4o mini. At the default workload, GPT-4o mini saves about $10.65/month ($129.575/year) versus GPT-5.6 Luna.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | GPT-4o mini | GPT-5.6 Luna |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $0.15/1M tokens | $1.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $0.60/1M tokens | $6.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 128,000 tokens | 1,050,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 16,384 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Category | efficient | efficient |
| Capabilities | textvision | textvisioncodereasoning |
| Release Date | 7/18/2024 | 6/26/2026 |
GPT-4o mini vs GPT-5.6 Luna: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between GPT-4o mini and GPT-5.6 Luna depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. GPT-4o mini is the more affordable option at $0.15/1M input tokens — 85% cheaper than GPT-5.6 Luna. Meanwhile, GPT-5.6 Luna offers a significantly larger context window at 1,050,000 tokens vs 128,000 for GPT-4o mini.
Both models are in the efficient category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: GPT-4o mini would save you roughly $1,065.00/month compared to GPT-5.6 Luna. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. GPT-4o mini charges $0.60/1M output tokens vs $6.00 for GPT-5.6 Luna. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. GPT-4o mini has the edge here at $0.60/1M 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-4o mini when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Choose GPT-5.6 Luna when:
- • You need a larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (code, reasoning)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 128,000 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
GPT-4o mini
- • Input pricing: $0.15/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $0.60/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 16,384 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than GPT-5.6 Luna
GPT-5.6 Luna
- • Input pricing: $1.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $6.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 1,050,000 tokens
- • Max output: 128,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than GPT-4o mini
- • Higher output cost than GPT-4o mini
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
GPT-4o mini (OpenAI)
GPT-5.6 Luna (OpenAI)
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