GPT-4o (05-13) vs o3 Deep Research
GPT-4o (05-13) (2024) and o3 Deep Research (2025) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI. GPT-4o (05-13) ships a 128k-token context window, while o3 Deep Research ships a 200k-token context window. On pricing, GPT-4o (05-13) costs $2.50/1M input tokens versus $10/1M 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.
GPT-4o (05-13) is ~300% cheaper at $2.50/1M; pay for o3 Deep Research only for reasoning depth.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4o (05-13) | o3 Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $10/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 4 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-4o (05-13) has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $10/1M tokens.
- GPT-4o (05-13) has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GPT-4o (05-13) uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4o (05-13) for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- o3 Deep Research has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- o3 Deep Research uniquely exposes Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags o3 Deep Research 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-4o (05-13)
$4,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API
o3 Deep Research
$18,000
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Vercel AI Gateway
Estimated monthly gap: $13,500. 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-4o (05-13) and o3 Deep Research; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- o3 Deep Research is $30/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- o3 Deep Research adds Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for o3 Deep Research and GPT-4o (05-13); plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- GPT-4o (05-13) is $30/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- GPT-4o (05-13) adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-05-13 | 2025-10-10 |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Parameters | 1.76T (8x222B MoE)* | — |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | Decoder Only |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Openness | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: conditional |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-10 | 2024-06 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4o (05-13) | o3 Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $2.50/1M tokens | $10/1M tokens |
| Output price | $10/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4o (05-13) | o3 Deep Research |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: o3 Deep Research, function calling: o3 Deep Research, tool use: o3 Deep Research, and code execution: GPT-4o (05-13). Both models share vision, multimodal input, and 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-4o (05-13) lists $2.50/1M input and $10/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while o3 Deep Research lists $10/1M input and $40/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GPT-4o (05-13) lower by about $14.25 per million blended tokens. Availability is 4 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-4o (05-13) when coding workflow support, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose o3 Deep Research when reasoning depth and larger context windows 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-4o (05-13) or o3 Deep Research?
o3 Deep Research supports 200k tokens, while GPT-4o (05-13) 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-4o (05-13) or o3 Deep Research?
GPT-4o (05-13) is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GPT-4o (05-13) costs $2.50/1M input and $10/1M output tokens. o3 Deep Research costs $10/1M input and $40/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-4o (05-13) or o3 Deep Research open source?
GPT-4o (05-13) is listed under Proprietary. o3 Deep Research 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-4o (05-13) or o3 Deep Research?
Both GPT-4o (05-13) and o3 Deep Research expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, GPT-4o (05-13) or o3 Deep Research?
Both GPT-4o (05-13) and o3 Deep Research expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run GPT-4o (05-13) and o3 Deep Research?
GPT-4o (05-13) is available on Azure OpenAI, OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Replicate API. o3 Deep Research is available on Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.