GPT-5.4 Pro vs o4-mini Deep Research
GPT-5.4 Pro vs o4-mini Deep Research: o4-mini Deep Research is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($2.00/M vs $30.00/M input tokens), while GPT-5.4 Pro is better for long-context tasks (1,050,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose o4-mini Deep Research for lower token spend and choose GPT-5.4 Pro 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.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
GPT-5.4 Pro
o4-mini Deep Research
Cost Differences
o4-mini Deep Research costs less than GPT-5.4 Pro
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: o4-mini Deep Research. At the default workload, o4-mini Deep Research saves about $342.00/month ($4,161.00/year) versus GPT-5.4 Pro.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | GPT-5.4 Pro | o4-mini Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $30.00/1M tokens | $2.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $180.00/1M tokens | $8.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 1,050,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 131,072 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisioncodereasoning | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 3/6/2026 | 6/26/2025 |
GPT-5.4 Pro vs o4-mini Deep Research: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between GPT-5.4 Pro and o4-mini Deep Research depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o4-mini Deep Research is the more affordable option at $2.00/1M input tokens — 93% cheaper than GPT-5.4 Pro. Meanwhile, GPT-5.4 Pro offers a significantly larger context window at 1,050,000 tokens vs 200,000 for o4-mini Deep Research.
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: o4-mini Deep Research would save you roughly $34,200.00/month compared to GPT-5.4 Pro. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. GPT-5.4 Pro charges $180.00/1M output tokens vs $8.00 for o4-mini Deep Research. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o4-mini Deep Research has the edge here at $8.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: GPT-5.4 Pro supports vision (image inputs) while o4-mini Deep Research is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose GPT-5.4 Pro when:
- • You need a larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 131,072 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose o4-mini Deep Research when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
GPT-5.4 Pro
- • Input pricing: $30.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $180.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 1,050,000 tokens
- • Max output: 131,072 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than o4-mini Deep Research
- • Higher output cost than o4-mini Deep Research
o4-mini Deep Research
- • 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
- • Smaller context window than GPT-5.4 Pro
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
GPT-5.4 Pro (OpenAI)
o4-mini Deep Research (OpenAI)
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