GPT-4o vs Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
GPT-4o (2024) and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B (2026) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI and Alibaba. GPT-4o ships a 128k-token context window, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ships a 262k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3.5-397B-A17B leads by 38.7 pts. On pricing, Qwen3.5-397B-A17B costs $0.39/1M 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.
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is ~541% cheaper at $0.39/1M; pay for GPT-4o only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-4o | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, 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 | 262k |
| Cheapest output | $10/1M tokens | $2.34/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 2 shared | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-4o has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GPT-4o uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4o for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 38.7 points.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.34/1M tokens.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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
$4,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
$897
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $3,603. 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.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is $7.66/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B adds Reasoning in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-4o is $7.66/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- GPT-4o adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-05-13 | 2026-02-16 |
| Context window | 128k | 262k |
| Parameters | — | 397B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-10 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-4o | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $2.50/1M tokens | $0.39/1M tokens |
| Output price | $10/1M tokens | $2.34/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-4o | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-4o | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 50.6 | 89.3 |
| Massive Multi-discipline Multimodal Understanding | 69.1 | 85.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has GPT-4o at 50.6 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B at 89.3, with Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ahead by 38.7 points; Massive Multi-discipline Multimodal Understanding has GPT-4o at 69.1 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B at 85, with Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ahead by 15.9 points. The largest visible gap is 38.7 points on Google-Proof Q&A, 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 reasoning mode: Qwen3.5-397B-A17B and code execution: GPT-4o. Both models share vision, multimodal input, function calling, and tool use, 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 lists $2.50/1M input and $10/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B lists $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen3.5-397B-A17B lower by about $3.78 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-4o when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.5-397B-A17B when reasoning depth, 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.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, GPT-4o or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B supports 262k tokens, while GPT-4o supports 128k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is cheaper, GPT-4o or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GPT-4o costs $2.50/1M input and $10/1M output tokens. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B costs $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-4o or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B open source?
GPT-4o is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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-4o or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Both GPT-4o and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Both GPT-4o and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B expose multimodal input. 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.
Where can I run GPT-4o and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
GPT-4o is available on Replicate API, OpenRouter, Azure OpenAI, OpenAI API, and Vercel AI Gateway. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is available on OpenRouter, Together AI, Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS, and Novita AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.