OpenAI Codex Mini vs 
Inkling
Inkling is cheaper than OpenAI Codex Mini at $1/M vs $1.5/M input tokens.
Pokémon Battle UI Recreation
Pokémon battle screen you can actually click. One HTML file.
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Which answer wins?
Written rounds
2 promptsThree minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.
OpenAI Codex Mini: [Comedian walks onstage] Hey, everyone! Great to see you all tonight. I'm Jamie—if you thought that intro was enthusiastic, you should've seen me when I realized this place has Wi-Fi. Seriously, though, I love stand-up.
Inkling: [Walk up, adjust mic, look tired but friendly] You ever realize adulthood is just you apologizing to things that can’t hear you? I bumped into my coffee table yesterday. Full apology. “Oh, I’m so sorry, table. You okay? I’ll rub it out.” The table didn’t care. The table is wood.
Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.
OpenAI Codex Mini: Sure—here are five jokes: I asked the librarian if books about paranoia were available. She whispered, "They're right behind you." Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing. I bought a boat because it was for sail. Don't trust stairs—they're always up to something.
Inkling: Here are 5 jokes: Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised. Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet. Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field.
Price and specs
Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Inkling has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.
| Spec | OpenAI Codex Mini | Inkling |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.5/M tokens | $1/M tokens |
| Output price | $6/M tokens | $4.05/M tokens |
| Context window | 200K tokens | 1.0M tokens |
| Weights | — | Open |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | No | Yes (1 provider) |
| Released | May 2025 | Jul 2026 |
| At 10M a month | $15.00 | $10.00 |
Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.
Where to run it
OpenAI Codex Mini
No hosts listed on OpenRouter.
Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.
Common questions
What is the difference between OpenAI Codex Mini and Inkling?
OpenAI Codex Mini is developed by OpenAI while Inkling is developed by Thinking Machines. OpenAI Codex Mini has a 200K token context window vs Inkling's 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 10 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.
Which is better, OpenAI Codex Mini or Inkling?
It depends on your use case. OpenAI Codex Mini and Inkling each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 10 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.
How much does OpenAI Codex Mini cost compared to Inkling?
OpenAI Codex Mini costs $1.5/M input tokens and Inkling costs $1/M input tokens. Inkling is $0.50/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.
How can I compare OpenAI Codex Mini and Inkling on Rival?
This page shows a side-by-side comparison of OpenAI Codex Mini and Inkling across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.
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