Command A vs GPT-5.2

Cohere · Global  |  OpenAI · US · Updated June 2026

Quick verdict

Pick Command A for enterprise rag and retrieval or strong long-context retrieval accuracy. Pick GPT-5.2 for strong all-round reasoning or reliable structured output. On a tight budget at scale, GPT-5.2 is the value pick.

Command A (Cohere) and GPT-5.2 (OpenAI) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Command A is cohere's enterprise-focused model built for retrieval-augmented and grounded workloads. GPT-5.2 is a capable GPT-5-generation all-rounder, now succeeded by GPT-5.5. They diverge most on price and context window — each quantified below from the models' real specs.

Key differences at a glance

Side-by-side specs

SpecCommand AGPT-5.2
ProviderCohere (Global) OpenAI (US)
Released2025 2026
Context window256K (~384 pages) 400K (~600 pages)
Price (in/out)$2.5/$10 per 1M tokens $1.5/$10 per 1M tokens
Open weight?No — API only No — API only
Modalitiestext, code text, image, code
SWE-Bench VerifiedNot published Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1MNot published Not published

Who wins what

Enterprise RAG and retrieval

Command A

A core design strength of Command A.

Strong long-context retrieval accuracy

Command A

A core design strength of Command A.

Multilingual

Command A

A core design strength of Command A.

Strong all-round reasoning

GPT-5.2

A core design strength of GPT-5.2.

Reliable structured output

GPT-5.2

A core design strength of GPT-5.2.

Broad ecosystem and tooling

GPT-5.2

A core design strength of GPT-5.2.

Lowest cost at scale

GPT-5.2

At $1.5/$10 per 1M tokens, it is the cheaper of the two — the gap dominates the bill on high-volume workloads.

Largest single-prompt input

GPT-5.2

Its 400K window is about 1.6× larger, fitting roughly 600 pages in one prompt.

Which should you pick?

A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume

GPT-5.2

At $1.5/$10 per 1M tokens it undercuts Command A, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.

Someone analysing very long documents or codebases

GPT-5.2

Larger 400K window fits more in one prompt.

Anyone whose priority is enterprise rag and retrieval

Command A

It is specifically built for that.

Anyone whose priority is strong all-round reasoning

GPT-5.2

That is its strongest area.

Command A: where it fits

Cohere's enterprise-focused model built for retrieval-augmented and grounded workloads. Released 2025 by Cohere, it is built for enterprise RAG and retrieval, strong long-context retrieval accuracy, multilingual, and tool use.

Its trade-offs are real: less consumer presence, and narrower modality support. At $2.5 in / $10 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.

GPT-5.2: where it fits

A capable GPT-5-generation all-rounder, now succeeded by GPT-5.5. Released 2026 by OpenAI, it is built for strong all-round reasoning, reliable structured output, broad ecosystem and tooling, and professional workflows.

Its trade-offs: superseded by GPT-5.5, and smaller context than flagships. At $1.5 in / $10 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.

The bottom line for this matchup

Command A and GPT-5.2 overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. GPT-5.2 costs less per token; GPT-5.2 holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Command A for enterprise rag and retrieval, GPT-5.2 for strong all-round reasoning. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.

Want both Command A and GPT-5.2 without two subscriptions? LumiChats gives you these plus 40+ models under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day) — draft with one, cross-check with the other.

See pricing

Frequently asked questions

Is Command A or GPT-5.2 better for coding?

Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Command A leans toward enterprise rag and retrieval while GPT-5.2 leans toward strong all-round reasoning, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.

Which is cheaper, Command A or GPT-5.2?

GPT-5.2 is cheaper — $2.5/$10 per 1M tokens vs $1.5/$10 per 1M tokens, roughly 1.7× apart on input.

Which has the bigger context window?

GPT-5.2 — 400K vs 256K, about 1.6× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.

Can I use both Command A and GPT-5.2 together?

Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Command A, GPT-5.2 and 40+ others under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day), so you can draft with one and cross-check with the other instead of buying two subscriptions.

Which is newer, Command A or GPT-5.2?

GPT-5.2 — released 2026, about 11 months after Command A.

Related comparisons

Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.