GPT-3.5 Turbo vs OpenAI o3
Compare GPT-3.5 Turbo and OpenAI o3, both from OpenAI, tested across 53 shared challenges. Updated May 2026.
Which is better, GPT-3.5 Turbo or OpenAI o3?
GPT-3.5 Turbo and OpenAI o3 are both competitive models. GPT-3.5 Turbo costs $1.5/M input tokens vs $10/M for OpenAI o3. Compare their real outputs side by side below.
Key Differences Between GPT-3.5 Turbo and OpenAI o3
GPT-3.5 Turbo is made by openai while OpenAI o3 is from openai. On pricing, GPT-3.5 Turbo costs $1.5/M input tokens vs $10/M for OpenAI o3.
API pricing
Per 1M tokens
GPT-3.5 Turbo
Input
$1.50
6.7× cheaper
Output
$2.00
20× cheaper
OpenAI o3
Input
$10.00
Output
$40.00
GPT-3.5 Turbo is cheaper on both — 6.7× input, 20× output
Our Verdict
OpenAI o3
GPT-3.5 TurboRunner-up
No community votes yet. On paper, OpenAI o3 has the edge — bigger model tier, newer.
GPT-3.5 Turbo is 20x cheaper per token — worth considering if cost matters.
Too close to call
Writing DNA
Style Comparison
Similarity
58%
OpenAI o3 uses 69.5x more bold
GPT-3.5 Turbo
OpenAI o3
61%Vocabulary68%
16wSentence Length14w
0.23Hedging0.26
0.0Bold0.7
3.7Lists3.0
0.00Emoji0.00
0.00Headings0.38
0.38Transitions0.12
Based on 11 + 16 text responses
FAQ
