OpenAI o4-mini vs Sonar Pro Search
Compare OpenAI o4-mini by OpenAI against Sonar Pro Search by Perplexity, tested across 53 shared challenges. Updated May 2026.
Which is better, OpenAI o4-mini or Sonar Pro Search?
OpenAI o4-mini and Sonar Pro Search are both competitive models. OpenAI o4-mini costs $1.1/M input tokens vs $3/M for Sonar Pro Search. Compare their real outputs side by side below.
Key Differences Between OpenAI o4-mini and Sonar Pro Search
OpenAI o4-mini is made by openai while Sonar Pro Search is from perplexity. On pricing, OpenAI o4-mini costs $1.1/M input tokens vs $3/M for Sonar Pro Search.
Per 1M tokens
OpenAI o4-mini is cheaper on both — 2.7× input, 3.4× output
No community votes yet. On paper, Sonar Pro Search has the edge — bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.
OpenAI o4-mini is 3.4x cheaper per token — worth considering if cost matters.
Style Comparison
Sonar Pro Search uses 268.7x more bold
