GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) vs GPT-5.5
GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) (2023) and GPT-5.5 (2026) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI. GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) ships a 128k-token context window, while GPT-5.5 ships a 1.05m-token context window. On pricing, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) costs $10/1M input tokens; GPT-5.5 ranges from $5 to $10/1M input tokens by tier. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
GPT-5.5 fits 8x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) | GPT-5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | general production evaluation | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | RAG, Long context, and Classification | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 128k | 1.05m |
| Cheapest output | $30/1M tokens | $30/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 1 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Local decision data tags GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) for RAG, Long context, and Classification.
- GPT-5.5 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GPT-5.5 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GPT-5.5 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-5.5 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106)
$15,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
GPT-5.5
$11,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API 0-272K input tokens
Estimated monthly gap: $4,000. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Cheapest tracked output pricing is tied, so migration risk shifts to quality, latency, and provider packaging.
- GPT-5.5 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Cheapest tracked output pricing is tied, so migration risk shifts to quality, latency, and provider packaging.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023-11-06 | 2026-04-23 |
| Context window | 128k | 1.05m |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Unknown | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-04 | 2025-12 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) | GPT-5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $10/1M tokens |
|
| Output price | $30/1M tokens |
|
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) | GPT-5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: GPT-5.5, multimodal input: GPT-5.5, reasoning mode: GPT-5.5, function calling: GPT-5.5, tool use: GPT-5.5, and code execution: GPT-5.5. Both models share structured outputs, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) lists $10/1M input and $30/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while GPT-5.5 lists tiered pricing: 0-272K input tokens is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 0-272,000t is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 272K+ input tokens is $8/1M input and $36/1M output; 272,000t+ is $10/1M input and $45/1M output. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GPT-5.5 lower by about $3.50 per million blended tokens. For tiered rows, this cheapest-track view can understate interactive or fast-lane spend, so compare the tier you will actually use. Availability is 1 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) when provider fit are central to the workload. Choose GPT-5.5 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and lower cheapest-tier input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) or GPT-5.5?
GPT-5.5 supports 1.05m tokens, while GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) supports 128k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) or GPT-5.5?
GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) lists $10/1M input and $30/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. GPT-5.5 lists tiered pricing: 0-272K input tokens is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 0-272,000t is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 272K+ input tokens is $8/1M input and $36/1M output; 272,000t+ is $10/1M input and $45/1M output. Compare the tier you will actually use; cheap async pricing can overstate savings for interactive workflows. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) or GPT-5.5 open source?
GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) is listed under Unknown. GPT-5.5 is listed under Proprietary. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for vision, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) or GPT-5.5?
GPT-5.5 has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) or GPT-5.5?
GPT-5.5 has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) and GPT-5.5?
GPT-4 Turbo (older v1106) is available on OpenRouter. GPT-5.5 is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.