Grok 3 vs o4-mini Deep Research
Compare xAI and OpenAI AI models
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Grok 3
o4-mini Deep Research
Cost Differences
o4-mini Deep Research costs less than Grok 3
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Grok 3 | o4-mini Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | xAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $3.00/1M tokens | $2.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $15.00/1M tokens | $8.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 131,072 tokens | 200,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 131,072 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | flagship | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisionreasoningcode | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 2/17/2025 | 6/26/2025 |
Grok 3 vs o4-mini Deep Research: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Grok 3 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 — 33% cheaper than Grok 3. Meanwhile, o4-mini Deep Research offers a significantly larger context window at 200,000 tokens vs 131,072 for Grok 3.
These models come from different providers — xAI and OpenAI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with xAI, switching to OpenAIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
These models target different tiers: Grok 3 is a flagship model while o4-mini Deep Research is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Grok 3 is built for complex tasks that require deeper reasoning, while o4-mini Deep Research offers better value for routine operations.
Output costs matter too. Grok 3 charges $15.00/1M 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: Grok 3 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 Grok 3 when:
- • You need more capabilities (vision)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 131,072 tokens)
- • You're already using xAI's API ecosystem
Choose o4-mini Deep Research when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need a larger context window (200,000 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Grok 3 (xAI)
o4-mini Deep Research (OpenAI)
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