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
  • Default Index
  • 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-4vsGPT-5 Mini
Updated Aug 2025

GPT-4vsGPT-5 Mini

GPT-5 Mini is cheaper than GPT-4 at $0.25/M vs $30/M input tokens.

GPT-4 and GPT-5 Mini compared across 26 shared prompts
SpecGPT-4GPT-5 Mini
Input price$30/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$60/M tokens$2/M tokens
Context window8K tokens—
WeightsClosedClosed
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMay 2023Aug 2025
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 3 of the 26 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-4172 words
Dish Name: Hearty Baked Beans Fiesta Ingredients: 2 cans of baked beans 1 large onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 bell pepper 1 can of sweet corn 2 tablespoons of olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Instructions: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Dice the onion, bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
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

Advanced Longevity Plan (Biohacker)

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

GPT-4404 words
3-Month Longevity Plan Dietary Protocols Month 1: Ketogenic Diet This diet is high in fats, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. It helps in burning fat more effectively. Breakfast: 2 eggs, avocado, and mixed vegetables. Lunch: Grilled salmon with a side of asparagus. Dinner: Stir-fried chicken with broccoli.
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

Beginner's Longevity Plan

Outline a simple, actionable 1-month plan for someone starting their journey towards better health and longevity. Focus on 3 key areas…

GPT-4375 words
Title: 1-Month Plan for Better Health and Longevity Week 1 - Establishing a Healthy Diet 1.1: Start Eating Whole Foods: Begin by gradually replacing processed foods in your diet with whole foods. This may include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Read the full answer
GPT-5 Mini1,224 words
Great — here’s a simple, practical 1-month starter plan focused on three high-impact areas for health and longevity: Diet, Exercise (movement + strength), and Sleep. The plan is beginner-friendly, progressive, and designed to build lasting habits.
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
GPT-4
GPT-4
GPT-5 Mini
GPT-5 Mini

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, nothing separates them.

GPT-5 Mini takes Image Generation. GPT-5 Mini costs 30x less per token.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

GPT-4
Input
$30.00
Output
$60.00
GPT-5 Mini
Input
$0.25
120× cheaper
Output
$2.00
30× cheaper

GPT-5 Mini is cheaper on both: 120× input, 30× output.

Where to run it

4 hosts

GPT-42 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Azure AI Foundry$30.00 in·$60.00 out·8k·100% upOpenAI$30.00 in·$60.00 out·8k·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 22 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
49%

GPT-4 uses 82.3x more bold

GPT-4
GPT-5 Mini
59%Vocabulary62%
18wSentence Length22w
1.10Hedging0.21
0.8Bold0.0
2.5Lists3.8
0.00Emoji0.00
0.00Headings0.00
0.45Transitions0.04
Based on 15 + 21 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Both are developed by OpenAI but target different use cases. You can compare their actual outputs across 26 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

It depends on your use case. GPT-4 and GPT-5 Mini each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 26 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

GPT-4 costs $30/M input tokens and GPT-5 Mini costs $0.25/M input tokens. GPT-5 Mini is $29.75/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-4 and GPT-5 Mini 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.

Keep exploring

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

GPT-4 logoDeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp logo
GPT-4 vs DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision ExpLanded Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoSolar Pro 4 logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Solar Pro 4Landed Sep 2026
GPT-4 logoHy3 logo
GPT-4 vs Hy3Landed Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoQwen3.7 Flash logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Qwen3.7 FlashLanded Sep 2026
GPT-4 logoLing 3.0 Flash logo
GPT-4 vs Ling 3.0 FlashLanded Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoMuse Glimmer 30B logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Muse Glimmer 30BLanded Sep 2026
GPT-4 logoGLM 5.3 logo
GPT-4 vs GLM 5.3Landed Sep 2026
GPT-5 Mini logoTernary Bonsai 2 27B logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Ternary Bonsai 2 27BLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

GPT-4 logoGPT-4o (Omni) logo
GPT-4 vs GPT-4o (Omni)Version compare
GPT-4 logoGPT-6 Astra Pro logo
GPT-4 vs GPT-6 Astra ProVersion compare
GPT-5 Mini logoGPT-6 Astra Pro logo
GPT-5 Mini vs GPT-6 Astra ProSame lab
GPT-5 Mini logoGPT-6 Astra logo
GPT-5 Mini vs GPT-6 AstraSame lab
GPT-5 Mini logoGrok Code Fast 1 logo
GPT-5 Mini vs Grok Code Fast 1Same size
GPT-4 logoHealer Alpha logo
GPT-4 vs Healer AlphaSame size
GPT-4 logoHunter Alpha logo
GPT-4 vs Hunter AlphaSame size
GPT-4 logoHy4 Preview logo
GPT-4 vs Hy4 PreviewSame size

Model pages

GPT-4 logo
GPT-426 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
  • Default Index
  • 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