o1 vs o3 Deep Research
o1 vs o3 Deep Research: o3 Deep Research is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($10.00/M vs $15.00/M input tokens), while o1 is better for long-context tasks (200,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose o3 Deep Research for lower token spend and choose o1 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)
o1
o3 Deep Research
Cost Differences
o3 Deep Research costs less than o1
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: o3 Deep Research. At the default workload, o3 Deep Research saves about $45.00/month ($547.50/year) versus o1.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | o1 | o3 Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $15.00/1M tokens | $10.00/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $60.00/1M tokens | $40.00/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 65,536 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textreasoning | textreasoningvisioncode |
| Release Date | 9/12/2024 | 6/26/2025 |
o1 vs o3 Deep Research: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between o1 and o3 Deep Research depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. o3 Deep Research is the more affordable option at $10.00/1M input tokens — 33% cheaper than o1.
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: o3 Deep Research would save you roughly $4,500.00/month compared to o1. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. o1 charges $60.00/1M output tokens vs $40.00 for o3 Deep Research. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. o3 Deep Research has the edge here at $40.00/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: o3 Deep Research supports vision (image inputs) while o1 is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose o1 when:
- • You need longer outputs (up to 65,536 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose o3 Deep Research when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need more capabilities (vision, code)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
o1
- • Input pricing: $15.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $60.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 65,536 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than o3 Deep Research
- • Higher output cost than o3 Deep Research
o3 Deep Research
- • Input pricing: $10.00/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $40.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 200,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
o1 (OpenAI)
o3 Deep Research (OpenAI)
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