GPT-4o Mini (07-18) vs o4-mini
GPT-4o Mini (07-18) (2024) and o4-mini (2025) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI. GPT-4o Mini (07-18) ships a 128k-token context window, while o4-mini ships a 200k-token context window. On Aider Polyglot, o4-mini leads by 68.4 pts. On pricing, GPT-4o Mini (07-18) costs $0.15/1M input tokens versus $1/1M 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 Mini (07-18) is ~567% cheaper at $0.15/1M; pay for o4-mini only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4o Mini (07-18) | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $0.60/1M tokens | $4/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 shared | Aider Polyglot leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-4o Mini (07-18) has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.60/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4o Mini (07-18) for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- o4-mini holds a shared-benchmark lead on Aider Polyglot, ahead by 68.4 points.
- o4-mini has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- o4-mini has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- o4-mini uniquely exposes Multimodal, Reasoning, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags o4-mini 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-4o Mini (07-18)
$270
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API
o4-mini
$1,800
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API
Estimated monthly gap: $1,530. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Replicate API; start route-level A/B tests there.
- o4-mini is $3.40/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- o4-mini adds Multimodal, Reasoning, and Function calling in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Replicate API; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-4o Mini (07-18) is $3.40/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Multimodal, Reasoning, and Function calling before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-07-18 | 2025-04-16 |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Openness | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: conditional |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-10 | 2025-08 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4o Mini (07-18) | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.15/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.60/1M tokens | $4/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4o Mini (07-18) | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-4o Mini (07-18) | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Aider Polyglot | 3.6 | 72.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Aider Polyglot has GPT-4o Mini (07-18) at 3.6 and o4-mini at 72, with o4-mini ahead by 68.4 points. The largest visible gap is 68.4 points on Aider Polyglot, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on multimodal input: o4-mini, reasoning mode: o4-mini, function calling: o4-mini, and tool use: o4-mini. Both models share vision, structured outputs, and code execution, 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 Mini (07-18) lists $0.15/1M input and $0.60/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while o4-mini lists $1/1M input and $4/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GPT-4o Mini (07-18) lower by about $1.61 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-4o Mini (07-18) when coding workflow support and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose o4-mini when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice 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-4o Mini (07-18) or o4-mini?
o4-mini supports 200k tokens, while GPT-4o Mini (07-18) 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 Mini (07-18) or o4-mini?
GPT-4o Mini (07-18) is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GPT-4o Mini (07-18) costs $0.15/1M input and $0.60/1M output tokens. o4-mini costs $1/1M input and $4/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-4o Mini (07-18) or o4-mini open source?
GPT-4o Mini (07-18) is listed under Proprietary. o4-mini 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 Mini (07-18) or o4-mini?
Both GPT-4o Mini (07-18) and o4-mini 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 Mini (07-18) or o4-mini?
o4-mini 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-4o Mini (07-18) and o4-mini?
GPT-4o Mini (07-18) is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Replicate API. o4-mini is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, Replicate API, and 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.