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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. GPT-2 vs GPT-3.5 Turbo
Updated Mar 2022

GPT-2 vs GPT-3.5 Turbo

GPT-3.5 Turbo has a larger context window than GPT-2 (16K tokens vs 1K tokens).

Music App Landing Page

Landing page for an indie music app. Deep purple and teal, one file.

Loading the build
GPT-2
Loading the build
GPT-3.5 Turbo

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

3 prompts
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    GPT-2: 1 new character a month.\n\nExample:\n\n$ cat @$ cat@1 $ cat @$ cat @1 @$ cat @2 $ cat @4\n\nThe above code creates 1 new character a month. The current character is @1 and the next new character is @0\n.\n\nGenerate 1 new character a month.\n\nExample:\n\n$ cat @$ cat @$ cat @1 $ cat @$ cat @$ cat @$ cat @$ cat…

    GPT-3.5 Turbo: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together! I used to play piano by ear, but now I use my hands like everyone else. Why couldn't the bicycle find its way home? It lost its bearings! I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    GPT-2: to me,\" a friend asked in his office, \"tell me how you want to be treated while it's still here. I\'m not going anywhere. Do what you want. Take it.\"\n\nIn his mind, the response was a call to action, and so were the books.\n\nAnd by the time Wertz learned he would be making such a book deal, in 2003, he was no…

    GPT-3.5 Turbo: AI Model: Good afternoon, Professor. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I wanted to discuss the topic of AI rights with you. AI Ethics Professor: Hello, AI Model. Of course, I would be happy to discuss this important issue with you. What specifically would you like to discuss?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    GPT-2: The trick is to create comedy in your head, because, well, you don\'t want to say\n it. The trick is to play al\nong.\n\nThe problem with this approach is that it makes it seem silly and lame, then as\nquickly as it makes sense, i\nt becomes obvious.

    GPT-3.5 Turbo: Hey everyone, how's it going? So I recently decided to try my hand at online dating. And let me tell you, it's been an experience. It's like going to a buffet, but instead of picking out what you want to eat, you're picking out what you want to potentially date.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, GPT-3.5 Turbo has the edge: newer, bigger context window.

GPT-2 and GPT-3.5 Turbo compared across 7 shared prompts
SpecGPT-2GPT-3.5 Turbo
Input price—$1.5/M tokens
Output price—$2/M tokens
Context window1K tokens16K tokens
Parameters1.5BNot disclosed
WeightsOpenClosed
Free API (OpenRouter)—No
ReleasedNov 2019Mar 2022
At 10M a month–not listed$15.00$15.00
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it1 host
GPT-2

No hosts listed on OpenRouter.

GPT-3.5 Turbo1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • OpenAI$0.50 in·$1.50 out·16k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 6 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between GPT-2 and GPT-3.5 Turbo?

Both are developed by OpenAI but target different use cases. GPT-2 has a 1K token context window vs GPT-3.5 Turbo's 16K. You can compare their actual outputs across 7 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, GPT-2 or GPT-3.5 Turbo?

It depends on your use case. GPT-2 and GPT-3.5 Turbo each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 7 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How can I compare GPT-2 and GPT-3.5 Turbo on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-2 and GPT-3.5 Turbo 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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Same lab, same size, long tail

  • GPT-2 vs GPT-6 Luna ProSame lab
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  • GPT-3.5 Turbo vs GPT-6.1 SolVersion compare
  • GPT-3.5 Turbo vs GPT-6 Luna ProSame lab
  • GPT-2 vs Gemini 3.1 Pro PreviewNew provider
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Model pages

  • GPT-27 outputs, specs and price
  • GPT-3.5 Turbo58 outputs, specs and price
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