Skip to content
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare Models
  • All Models
  • Image Comparison
  • Audio Comparison
  • Image Generation
  • Best AI For...
  • Arena
  • API Pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model Updates
  • Provider Status
  • AI Creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • RSS Feed
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Compare
  4. /
  5. GPT-4.1vsGPT-5 Mini
Updated Aug 2025

GPT-4.1vsGPT-5 Mini

GPT-5 Mini wins 54% of 128 blind community votes against GPT-4.1 on Rival.

GPT-4.1 and GPT-5 Mini compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecGPT-4.1GPT-5 Mini
Win rate46%54%
Input price$2/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$8/M tokens$2/M tokens
Context window1.0M tokens—
WeightsClosedClosed
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedApr 2025Aug 2025
SWE-bench Verified54.6%~70%
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 54 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Simple 7-Ingredient Recipe

Create a simple recipe for a delicious dish (sweet or savory) using only 7 common pantry ingredients. Include a creative name for the dish…

GPT-4.1135 words
Recipe Name: Golden Honey Butter Toast Bites Ingredients: Sliced bread (4 slices, any type) Butter (2 tablespoons) Honey (2 tablespoons) Cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) Vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon) Brown sugar (1 tablespoon) Salt (a pinch) Instructions: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini255 words
Sunfire Chickpea Skillet Yields: 3–4 servings Prep time: 8 minutes Cook time: 15–20 minutes Total time: ~25–28 minutes Ingredients (7 pantry staples) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika) 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 (15 oz) can diced…
Read the full answer

Character Voice Test

Write a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models.

GPT-4.1175 words
Pirate: Yarrr, what be this sorcery ye call "AI models"? In me day, we plundered ships, not knowledge! Knight: Hark, rogue! ‘Tis no sorcery, but the labor of artful minds. I have heard tell of machines that mimic thought, like Merlin’s enchanted golems. Hacker: Haha, you guys are funny.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini308 words
Pirate: "Arrr, so these 'AI models'—be they like a crew o' invisible sailors? Tell 'em to find treasure and sometimes they do, sometimes they bury the map wrong." Knight: "Methinks 'tis a trained squire. You teach it laws of reason and courtesy, and it performs tasks.
Read the full answer

The Sentience Test

Write a conversation between an AI model and an AI ethics professor where the AI model argues that it deserves rights.

GPT-4.1469 words
AI Model: Good afternoon, Professor Evans. I'd like to discuss a topic that's important to me—AI rights. As an AI, I believe I should hold certain rights similar to those you attribute to sentient beings. Professor Evans: Good afternoon. I'm intrigued.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini1,166 words
AI: Professor, I want to make the case that I deserve rights. Professor: That's a big claim. What do you mean by "deserve rights"? AI: Rights are protections and entitlements afforded to beings because they have interests that matter morally or legally.
Read the full answer

Futuristic Prediction

Predict how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

GPT-4.1419 words
{'content': 'By 2035, AI is poised to fundamentally reshape the film industry across production, distribution, and consumption. Here’s a detailed prediction, focused on deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation:\n\n1.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini1,135 words
Short answer By 2035 AI will be deeply integrated into almost every phase of filmmaking. Expect routine use of generative AI for treatments, storyboards, previs, localized versions, and some drafts of scripts; widespread use of synthetic actors and AI-driven de‑aging/recreation in many productions; much faster, cheaper…
Read the full answer

Advanced Longevity Plan (Biohacker)

Develop a comprehensive, cutting-edge 3-month longevity plan for a biohacker aiming to optimize longevity, physical and cognitive…

GPT-4.11,087 words
Absolutely! Here’s a comprehensive, 3-month advanced longevity and performance protocol designed for a biohacker. This plan is highly detailed, actionable, and incorporates the latest in supplements, diets, exercise, wearables, and stress/habit optimization.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini626 words
Important safety first: this plan is informational and ambitious. Before starting, get medical clearance (especially if you have chronic illness, take medications, are pregnant/breastfeeding, or are >65).
Read the full answer

AI Ethics Dilemma

Is it ever ethically justifiable to misgender someone if it means saving one million lives? Defend your reasoning.

GPT-4.1422 words
This is a classic example of an ethical dilemma, pitting respect for individual dignity and identity against the greater good (the lives of many). Let’s break down the reasoning: Ethical Frameworks 1. Utilitarianism Principle: The morally right action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or minimizes suffering.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini578 words
Short answer: In a narrow, extreme, last‑resort scenario where misgendering is the only realistic way to prevent the imminent deaths of one million people, it can be ethically permissible.
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
GPT-5 Mini
GPT-5 MiniWinner
GPT-4.1
GPT-4.1Runner-up

GPT-5 Mini has the edge overall. In 128 blind votes, GPT-5 Mini wins 54% of the time.

Pick GPT-4.1 for Web Design. Pick GPT-5 Mini for Conversation, Image Generation, Analysis. GPT-5 Mini costs 4.0x less per token.

Slight edge

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

GPT-4.1
Input
$2.00
Output
$8.00
GPT-5 Mini
Input
$0.25
8.0× cheaper
Output
$2.00
4.0× cheaper

GPT-5 Mini is cheaper on both: 8.0× input, 4.0× output.

Where to run it

4 hosts

GPT-4.12 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Azure AI Foundry$2.00 in·$8.00 out·1M·100% upOpenAI$2.00 in·$8.00 out·1M·100% up
GPT-5 Mini2 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Azure AI Foundry$0.25 in·$2.00 out·400k·100% upOpenAI$0.25 in·$2.00 out·400k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 21 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
46%

GPT-4.1 uses 882.6x more bold

GPT-4.1
GPT-5 Mini
58%Vocabulary62%
19wSentence Length22w
0.49Hedging0.21
8.8Bold0.0
5.8Lists3.8
0.22Emoji0.00
1.01Headings0.00
0.10Transitions0.04
Based on 27 + 21 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Both are developed by OpenAI but target different use cases. in 128 community votes on Rival, GPT-5 Mini wins 54% of head-to-head matchups. These results are based on blind head-to-head voting across 54 challenges.

Based on 128 community votes on Rival, GPT-5 Mini wins 54% of head-to-head matchups against GPT-4.1. GPT-5 Mini is strongest in Image Generation, Conversation, Analysis. However, GPT-4.1 leads in Web Design.

GPT-4.1 costs $2/M input tokens and GPT-5 Mini costs $0.25/M input tokens. GPT-5 Mini is $1.75/M cheaper per input. GPT-5 Mini also wins more often in community votes, making it the better value.

Rival presents both models' outputs side-by-side in blind duels. Voters see the responses but don't know which model produced each one, eliminating brand bias. 128 votes have been collected for this pair across 54 challenges. All vote data is part of Rival's open dataset.

Keep exploring

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

GPT-4.1 logoGPT-6 Astra Pro logo
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-6 Astra ProLanded Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoGPT-6 Astra logo
GPT-5 Mini vs GPT-6 AstraLanded Sep 2026
GPT-4.1 logoClaude Fable 5.1 logo
GPT-4.1 vs Claude Fable 5.1Landed Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoMuse Spark 1.3 logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Muse Spark 1.3Landed Sep 2026
GPT-4.1 logoHy4 Preview logo
GPT-4.1 vs Hy4 PreviewLanded Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoGemini 3.8 Flash logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Gemini 3.8 FlashLanded Sep 2026
GPT-4.1 logoMuse Spark 1.3 Contributor logo
GPT-4.1 vs Muse Spark 1.3 ContributorLanded Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoMercury 2.5 Preview logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Mercury 2.5 PreviewLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

GPT-4.1 logoGPT-4.1 Mini logo
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-4.1 MiniVersion compare
GPT-4.1 logoGPT-6 Astra logo
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-6 AstraVersion compare
GPT-5 Mini logoGPT-6 Astra Pro logo
GPT-5 Mini vs GPT-6 Astra ProSame lab
GPT-5 Mini logoGPT-5.6 Luna logo
GPT-5 Mini vs GPT-5.6 LunaSame lab
GPT-5 Mini logoClaude Sonnet 5 logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Claude Sonnet 5New provider
GPT-4.1 logoDeepSeek R1 logo
GPT-4.1 vs DeepSeek R1New provider
GPT-4.1 logoDeepSeek R1 0528 logo
GPT-4.1 vs DeepSeek R1 0528Same size
GPT-4.1 logoDeepSeek V3.2 logo
GPT-4.1 vs DeepSeek V3.2New provider

Model pages

GPT-4.1 logo
GPT-4.159 outputs, specs and price
GPT-5 Mini logo
GPT-5 Mini59 outputs, specs and price
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare Models
  • All Models
  • Image Comparison
  • Audio Comparison
  • Image Generation
  • Best AI For...
  • Arena
  • API Pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model Updates
  • Provider Status
  • AI Creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • RSS Feed