o3-mini vs o4-mini
Pricing verdict: o3-mini vs o4-mini: pricing is a tie at $1.10/M input and $4.40/M output. The real choice is context: o4-mini is better for long-context tasks (2,000,000 tokens vs 500,000).
Direct answer: pricing is a tie. Choose o4-mini for the larger 2M context window, or pick o3-mini if 500K is already enough for your workload.
Compare API pricing, input and output token costs, context windows, and monthly estimates on one page so you can pick the right model fast.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
o3-mini
o4-mini
Cost Differences
Both models cost the same at the default workload.
Quick Recommendation
Direct API pricing is a tie at the default workload: both land around $9.90/month. Pick o4-mini if you need the larger 2M context window; otherwise choose the model that better fits your workflow.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | o3-mini | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Input Price | $1.10/1M tokens | $1.10/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $4.40/1M tokens | $4.40/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 500,000 tokens | 2,000,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 65,536 tokens | 131,072 tokens |
| Category | reasoning | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textreasoningcode | textreasoningcode |
| Release Date | 1/31/2025 | 4/16/2025 |
o3-mini vs o4-mini: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between o3-mini and o4-mini depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Both models cost the same on input and output tokens, so raw price is a tie. Meanwhile, o4-mini offers a significantly larger context window at 2,000,000 tokens vs 500,000 for o3-mini.
Both models are in the reasoning category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — direct API pricing stays tied, so the real decision is context, latency, and provider fit.
Output costs matter too. o3-mini charges $4.40/1M output tokens vs $4.40 for o4-mini.
Best Use Cases
Choose o3-mini when:
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Choose o4-mini when:
- • You need a larger context window (2,000,000 tokens)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 131,072 tokens)
- • You're already using OpenAI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
o3-mini
- • Input pricing: $1.10/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.40/M tokens
- • Context window: 500,000 tokens
- • Max output: 65,536 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than o4-mini
o4-mini
- • Input pricing: $1.10/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $4.40/M tokens
- • Context window: 2,000,000 tokens
- • Max output: 131,072 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
o3-mini (OpenAI)
o4-mini (OpenAI)
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Sign Up for OpenAI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, o3-mini or o4-mini?▼
What is the context window difference between o3-mini and o4-mini?▼
Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
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