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GPT-5 mini vs GPT-4o: price comparison

Real 2026 API prices side by side, with the total cost of a typical 10M-input / 3M-output monthly workload.

Price & cost at a glance

	GPT-5 mini	GPT-4o
Input / 1M tokens	$0.4	$2.5
Output / 1M tokens	$1.6	$10
Context window	400K	128K
Cost — 10M in + 3M out	$8.8	$55

Green = cheaper / larger. Prices per 1M tokens, USD. Snapshot 2026 — verify with the provider.

Which is cheaper?

GPT-5 mini is the cheaper option on a 10M-in / 3M-out workload — about $8.8/mo versus $55 for GPT-4o (~6.2× difference). Because output tokens are billed higher, the model with the lower output price usually wins as your responses get longer.

Run your own token mix in the cost calculator, or see each model in depth: GPT-5 mini · GPT-4o.

Frequently asked

Is GPT-5 mini or GPT-4o cheaper?

At a typical 10M input + 3M output tokens per month, GPT-5 mini costs about $8.8 versus $55 for GPT-4o — GPT-5 mini is roughly 6.2x cheaper on this workload. Your ratio of input to output tokens changes the gap.

What's the price difference between GPT-5 mini and GPT-4o?

GPT-5 mini is $0.4/$1.6 per 1M input/output tokens; GPT-4o is $2.5/$10. Output tokens usually dominate a bill, so compare the output price first.

Which has the bigger context window, GPT-5 mini or GPT-4o?

GPT-5 mini supports about 400K tokens and GPT-4o about 128K. A bigger window costs more per call because every token in context is billed.

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Educational estimates — not affiliated with any provider.