GPT-5.4 vs o3
GPT-5.4 (2026) and o3 (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from OpenAI. GPT-5.4 ships a 1.05m-token context window, while o3 ships a 200k-token context window. On SWE-bench Verified, GPT-5.4 and o3 are tied at 71.7. On pricing, GPT-5.4 ranges from $2.50 to $5/1M input tokens by tier; o3 costs $2/1M input tokens. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
GPT-5.4 fits 5x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and o3 for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-5.4 | o3 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1.05m | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $15/1M tokens | $8/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 6 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-5.4 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 4.3 points.
- GPT-5.4 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Local decision data tags GPT-5.4 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- o3 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Massive Multi-discipline Multimodal Understanding, ahead by 0.8 points.
- o3 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $8/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags o3 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-5.4
$5,750
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API
o3
$3,600
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API
Estimated monthly gap: $2,150. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- o3 is $7/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-5.4 is $7/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
Specs
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-5.4 | o3 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price |
| $2/1M tokens |
| Output price |
| $8/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-5.4 | o3 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-5.4 | o3 |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified | 71.7 | 71.7 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 92.0 | 87.7 |
| Massive Multi-discipline Multimodal Understanding | 82.1 | 82.9 |
| Humanity's Last Exam | 41.6 | 20.3 |
| Chatbot Arena | 1479.0 | 1412.0 |
| MMMU Pro | 81.2 | 76.4 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, SWE-bench Verified has GPT-5.4 and o3 tied at 71.7; Google-Proof Q&A has GPT-5.4 at 92 and o3 at 87.7, with GPT-5.4 ahead by 4.3 points; Massive Multi-discipline Multimodal Understanding has GPT-5.4 at 82.1 and o3 at 82.9, with o3 ahead by 0.8 points. The largest visible gap is 4.3 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 is close: both models cover vision, multimodal input, reasoning mode, function calling, and tool use. That makes context budget, benchmark fit, and provider maturity more important than a simple checklist. If your application depends on one integration detail, verify it against the provider route you plan to use, not just the base model listing.
For cost, GPT-5.4 lists tiered pricing: 0-272,000t is $2.50/1M input and $15/1M output; 272,000t+ is $5/1M input and $22.50/1M output, while o3 lists $2/1M input and $8/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts o3 lower by about $2.45 per million blended tokens. For tiered rows, this cheapest-track view can understate interactive or fast-lane spend, so compare the tier you will actually use. Availability is 3 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GPT-5.4 when coding workflow support and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose o3 when coding workflow support 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-5.4 or o3?
GPT-5.4 supports 1.05m tokens, while o3 supports 200k 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-5.4 or o3?
GPT-5.4 lists tiered pricing: 0-272,000t is $2.50/1M input and $15/1M output; 272,000t+ is $5/1M input and $22.50/1M output. o3 lists $2/1M input and $8/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. Compare the tier you will actually use; cheap async pricing can overstate savings for interactive workflows. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GPT-5.4 or o3 open source?
GPT-5.4 is listed under Proprietary. o3 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-5.4 or o3?
Both GPT-5.4 and o3 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-5.4 or o3?
Both GPT-5.4 and o3 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-5.4 and o3?
GPT-5.4 is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. o3 is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-08. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.