GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small
GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small: Magistral Small is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.50/M vs $30.00/M input tokens), while GPT-5.5 Pro is better for long-context tasks (1,050,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Magistral Small for lower token spend and choose GPT-5.5 Pro when your workload needs longer context.
Common pricing searches covered on this page: GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small • GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small pricing • GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small API pricing and 5 5 pro vs magistral small pricing.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
GPT-5.5 Pro
Magistral Small
Cost Differences
Magistral Small costs less than GPT-5.5 Pro
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Magistral Small. At the default workload, Magistral Small saves about $356.25/month ($4,334.375/year) versus GPT-5.5 Pro.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | GPT-5.5 Pro | Magistral Small |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $30.00/1M tokens | $0.50/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $180.00/1M tokens | $1.50/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 1,050,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 128,000 tokens | 16,384 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisioncodereasoning | textreasoning |
| Release Date | 4/24/2026 | 12/15/2025 |
GPT-5.5 Pro vs Magistral Small: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between GPT-5.5 Pro and Magistral Small depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Magistral Small is the more affordable option at $0.50/1M input tokens — 98% cheaper than GPT-5.5 Pro. Meanwhile, GPT-5.5 Pro offers a significantly larger context window at 1,050,000 tokens vs 128,000 for Magistral Small.
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.
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: Magistral Small would save you roughly $35,625.00/month compared to GPT-5.5 Pro. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. GPT-5.5 Pro charges $180.00/1M output tokens vs $1.50 for Magistral Small. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Magistral Small has the edge here at $1.50/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: GPT-5.5 Pro supports vision (image inputs) while Magistral Small is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose GPT-5.5 Pro when:
- • You need a larger context window (1,050,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision, code)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 128,000 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose Magistral Small when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
GPT-5.5 Pro
- • Input pricing: $30.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $180.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 1,050,000 tokens
- • Max output: 128,000 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Magistral Small
- • Higher output cost than Magistral Small
Magistral Small
- • Input pricing: $0.50/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $1.50/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 16,384 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than GPT-5.5 Pro
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
GPT-5.5 Pro (OpenAI)
Magistral Small (Mistral AI)
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Sign Up for Mistral AI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GPT-5.5 Pro or Magistral Small?▼
What is the context window difference between GPT-5.5 Pro and Magistral Small?▼
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼
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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