GPT-5.5 vs Qwen3.5-9B
GPT-5.5 (2026) and Qwen3.5-9B (2026) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI and Alibaba. GPT-5.5 ships a 1.1M-token context window, while Qwen3.5-9B ships a 262K-token context window. On MMLU PRO, GPT-5.5 leads by 5.6 pts. On pricing, GPT-5.5 ranges from $5 to $10/1M input tokens by tier; Qwen3.5-9B costs $0.10/1M input tokens. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
GPT-5.5 fits 4x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Qwen3.5-9B for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GPT-5.5 | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 1.1M | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $30/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 2 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GPT-5.5 leads the largest shared benchmark signal on MMLU PRO by 5.6 points.
- GPT-5.5 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GPT-5.5 uniquely exposes Reasoning and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-5.5 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.5-9B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.15/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-9B 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-5.5
$11,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenAI API 0-272K input tokens
Qwen3.5-9B
$118
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Together AI
Estimated monthly gap: $11,383. 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.
- Qwen3.5-9B is $29.85/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-5.5 is $29.85/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- GPT-5.5 adds Reasoning and Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-04-23 | 2026-03-02 |
| Context window | 1.1M | 262K |
| Parameters | — | 9B |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-12 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GPT-5.5 | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price |
| $0.10/1M tokens |
| Output price |
| $0.15/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GPT-5.5 | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| 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-5.5 | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 88.1 | 82.5 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 93.6 | 81.7 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has GPT-5.5 at 88.1 and Qwen3.5-9B at 82.5, with GPT-5.5 ahead by 5.6 points; Google-Proof Q&A has GPT-5.5 at 93.6 and Qwen3.5-9B at 81.7, with GPT-5.5 ahead by 11.9 points. The largest visible gap is 11.9 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: GPT-5.5 and code execution: GPT-5.5. 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-5.5 lists tiered pricing: 0-272K input tokens is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 0-272,000t is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 272K+ input tokens is $8/1M input and $36/1M output; 272,000t+ is $10/1M input and $45/1M output, while Qwen3.5-9B lists $0.10/1M input and $0.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen3.5-9B lower by about $12.38 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-5.5 when coding workflow support and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.5-9B when vision-heavy evaluation 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-5.5 or Qwen3.5-9B?
GPT-5.5 supports 1.1M tokens, while Qwen3.5-9B supports 262K 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-5.5 or Qwen3.5-9B?
GPT-5.5 lists tiered pricing: 0-272K input tokens is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 0-272,000t is $5/1M input and $30/1M output; 272K+ input tokens is $8/1M input and $36/1M output; 272,000t+ is $10/1M input and $45/1M output. Qwen3.5-9B lists $0.10/1M input and $0.15/1M 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-5.5 or Qwen3.5-9B open source?
GPT-5.5 is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.5-9B 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-5.5 or Qwen3.5-9B?
Both GPT-5.5 and Qwen3.5-9B 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-5.5 or Qwen3.5-9B?
Both GPT-5.5 and Qwen3.5-9B 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-5.5 and Qwen3.5-9B?
GPT-5.5 is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Qwen3.5-9B is available on Together AI, OpenRouter, and Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-25. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.