GPT-4o vs Qwen3-235B-A22B
GPT-4o (2024) and Qwen3-235B-A22B (2025) are compact production models from OpenAI and Alibaba. Both ship a 128k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3-235B-A22B leads by 35.5 pts. On pricing, Qwen3-235B-A22B costs $0.09/1M input tokens versus $2.50/1M 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.
Qwen3-235B-A22B is ~2678% cheaper at $0.09/1M; pay for GPT-4o only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4o | Qwen3-235B-A22B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production | provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Long context |
| Context window | 128k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $10/1M tokens | $0.58/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 shared | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-4o uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and JSON / Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4o for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3-235B-A22B holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 35.5 points.
- Qwen3-235B-A22B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.58/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3-235B-A22B for Coding, RAG, 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
$4,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API
Qwen3-235B-A22B
$217
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Novita AI
Estimated monthly gap: $4,283. 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.
- Qwen3-235B-A22B is $9.42/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and JSON / Tool use before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-4o is $9.42/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- GPT-4o adds Vision, Multimodal, and JSON / Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-05-13 | 2025-04-29 |
| Context window | 128k | 128k |
| Parameters | — | 235B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Weights | Not released | Unknown |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-10 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4o | Qwen3-235B-A22B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $2.50/1M tokens | $0.09/1M tokens |
| Output price | $10/1M tokens | $0.58/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4o | Qwen3-235B-A22B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| JSON / Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-4o | Qwen3-235B-A22B |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 50.6 | 86.1 |
Continue comparing
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.