GPT-4 vs Granite 3.3 8B Instruct
GPT-4 (2023) and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct (2025) are compact production models from OpenAI and IBM Research. GPT-4 ships a 8k-token context window, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct ships a 128k-token context window. On pricing, Granite 3.3 8B Instruct costs $0.03/1M input tokens versus $30/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is ~99900% cheaper at $0.03/1M; pay for GPT-4 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4 | Granite 3.3 8B Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production | tool-calling agents and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, Agents, and Vision | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 8k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $60/1M tokens | $0.25/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 4 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-4 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GPT-4 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4 for Coding, Agents, and Vision.
- Granite 3.3 8B Instruct has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Granite 3.3 8B Instruct has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.25/1M tokens.
- Granite 3.3 8B Instruct uniquely exposes Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Granite 3.3 8B Instruct for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
GPT-4
$39,000
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct
$86.50
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API
Estimated monthly gap: $38,914. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for GPT-4 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is $59.75/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Granite 3.3 8B Instruct adds Tool use in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Granite 3.3 8B Instruct and GPT-4; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- GPT-4 is $59.75/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Tool use before moving production traffic.
- GPT-4 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023-03-14 | 2025-03-01 |
| Context window | 8k | 128k |
| Parameters | 1.76T (8x222B MoE)* | 8B |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2021-09 | 2024-04 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4 | Granite 3.3 8B Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $30/1M tokens | $0.03/1M tokens |
| Output price | $60/1M tokens | $0.25/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4 | Granite 3.3 8B Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| 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-4, multimodal input: GPT-4, tool use: Granite 3.3 8B Instruct, structured outputs: GPT-4, and code execution: GPT-4. Both models share function calling, 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 lists $30/1M input and $60/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Granite 3.3 8B Instruct lists $0.03/1M input and $0.25/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Granite 3.3 8B Instruct lower by about $38.90 per million blended tokens. Availability is 4 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-4 when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Granite 3.3 8B Instruct when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, GPT-4 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct supports 128k tokens, while GPT-4 supports 8k 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 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?
Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GPT-4 costs $30/1M input and $60/1M output tokens. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct costs $0.03/1M input and $0.25/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-4 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct open source?
GPT-4 is listed under Proprietary. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is listed under Apache 2.0. 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 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?
GPT-4 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 or Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?
GPT-4 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 and Granite 3.3 8B Instruct?
GPT-4 is available on OpenAI API, Azure OpenAI, Salesforce Einstein Generative AI, and OpenRouter. Granite 3.3 8B Instruct is available on NVIDIA NIM and Replicate API. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-11. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.