Grok 4.20 vs o4-mini
Compare xAI and OpenAI AI models
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Grok 4.20
o4-mini
Cost Differences
o4-mini costs less than Grok 4.20
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Grok 4.20 | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | xAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $2.00/1M tokens | $1.10/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $6.00/1M tokens | $4.40/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 2,000,000 tokens | 2,000,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 131,072 tokens | 131,072 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textvisionreasoningcode | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 2/17/2026 | 4/16/2025 |
Grok 4.20 vs o4-mini: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Grok 4.20 and o4-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o4-mini is the more affordable option at $1.10/1M input tokens — 45% cheaper than Grok 4.20.
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.
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 would save you roughly $510.00/month compared to Grok 4.20. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Grok 4.20 charges $6.00/1M output tokens vs $4.40 for o4-mini. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o4-mini has the edge here at $4.40/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Grok 4.20 supports vision (image inputs) while o4-mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Grok 4.20 when:
- • You need more capabilities (vision)
- • You're already using xAI's API ecosystem
Choose o4-mini when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • 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 4.20 (xAI)
o4-mini (OpenAI)
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