Both are OpenAI models. GPT-5.4 Mini is the newer, generally stronger default; reach for GPT-4.1 Mini when its lower price or a specific cost or latency profile matters more than the latest capabilities.
GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.4 Mini are both OpenAI models, so the real question is not which lab to trust but which tier fits your workload and budget. GPT-4.1 Mini is a cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT. GPT-5.4 Mini is openAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed. Since both come from the same lab, the comparison below focuses on the tier-and-cost trade-offs that actually separate them.
Key differences
Price: GPT-4.1 Mini is about 1.9× cheaper on input ($0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens) — modest, but it adds up at steady volume.
Context window: GPT-4.1 Mini holds 2.6× more — 1M (~1,571 pages) vs 400K (~600 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
Recency: GPT-5.4 Mini is the newer model by about 11 months (released March 17, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Specifications
Spec
GPT-4.1 Mini
GPT-5.4 Mini
Provider
OpenAI (US)
OpenAI (US)
Released
April 14, 2025
March 17, 2026
Context window
1M (~1,571 pages)
400K (~600 pages)
Price (in/out)
$0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens
$0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image, code
text, image, code
SWE-Bench Verified
23.6%
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
Not published
Who wins what
Very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens: GPT-4.1 Mini — At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens it undercuts GPT-5.4 Mini ($0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens), and that gap compounds at volume.
Instruction following above its weight class — 84.1% on IFEval, beating GPT-4o: GPT-4.1 Mini — A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT — and it runs cheaper at $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens.
Multi-turn coherence for its tier — 35.8% on MultiChallenge, roughly 1.8x GPT-4o mini: GPT-4.1 Mini — A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT — and it carries the larger 1M context.
Free for every ChatGPT user: GPT-5.4 Mini — GPT-4.1 Mini is comparatively weak here — retired from ChatGPT in February 2026, and OpenAI's own docs now point users to GPT-5 mini instead
Fast, low-cost general tasks: GPT-5.4 Mini — OpenAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed — and it is the newer of the two.
Subagent capabilities: GPT-5.4 Mini — GPT-5.4 Mini lists subagent capabilities among its strengths; GPT-4.1 Mini does not.
Lowest cost at scale: GPT-4.1 Mini — At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens, it is the cheaper of the two — the gap dominates the bill on high-volume workloads.
Largest single-prompt input: GPT-4.1 Mini — Its 1M window is about 2.6× larger than GPT-5.4 Mini's 400K, fitting roughly 1,571 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume: GPT-4.1 Mini — At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens it undercuts GPT-5.4 Mini, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases: GPT-4.1 Mini — Larger 1M window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens: GPT-4.1 Mini — It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is free for every chatgpt user: GPT-5.4 Mini — That is its strongest area.
GPT-4.1 Mini: where it fits
A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT. Released April 14, 2025 by OpenAI, it is built for very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens, instruction following above its weight class — 84.1% on IFEval, beating GPT-4o, multi-turn coherence for its tier — 35.8% on MultiChallenge, roughly 1.8x GPT-4o mini, and a full 1M context at flat pricing, with no long-context premium.
Its trade-offs are real: weak at agentic coding — its 23.6% on SWE-Bench Verified sits below GPT-4o's 33.2%, retired from ChatGPT in February 2026, and OpenAI's own docs now point users to GPT-5 mini instead, and a June 2024 knowledge cutoff, now roughly two years stale, and no reasoning mode. At $0.4 in / $1.6 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
GPT-5.4 Mini: where it fits
OpenAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed. Released March 17, 2026 by OpenAI, it is built for free for every ChatGPT user, fast, low-cost general tasks, subagent capabilities, and native multimodal reasoning.
Its trade-offs: smaller context than flagship models, and not for the hardest reasoning. At $0.75 in / $4.5 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Because GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.4 Mini come from the same lab (OpenAI), they share the same training philosophy and ecosystem — the decision is purely tier vs. cost. GPT-5.4 Mini is the more capable, more recent option; the other earns its place only when its price or latency profile fits a specific job better. Most teams should default to GPT-5.4 Mini and drop down only with a concrete reason.
Frequently asked questions
Is GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for GPT-5.4 Mini, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, GPT-4.1 Mini leans toward very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens while GPT-5.4 Mini leans toward free for every chatgpt user, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini?
GPT-4.1 Mini is cheaper — $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens, roughly 1.9× apart on input.
Which has the bigger context window?
GPT-4.1 Mini — 1M vs 400K, about 2.6× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Should I upgrade from GPT-4.1 Mini to GPT-5.4 Mini?
Since both are OpenAI models, the newer one (GPT-5.4 Mini) is usually the better default unless you need a specific cost or latency profile from the other.
Which is newer, GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini?
GPT-5.4 Mini — released March 17, 2026, about 11 months after GPT-4.1 Mini.
GPT-4.1 Mini vs GPT-5.4 Mini
OpenAI · US | OpenAI · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Both are OpenAI models. GPT-5.4 Mini is the newer, generally stronger default; reach for GPT-4.1 Mini when its lower price or a specific cost or latency profile matters more than the latest capabilities.
GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.4 Mini are both OpenAI models, so the real question is not which lab to trust but which tier fits your workload and budget. GPT-4.1 Mini is a cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT. GPT-5.4 Mini is openAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed. Since both come from the same lab, the comparison below focuses on the tier-and-cost trade-offs that actually separate them.
Key differences at a glance
▸Price: GPT-4.1 Mini is about 1.9× cheaper on input ($0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens) — modest, but it adds up at steady volume.
▸Context window: GPT-4.1 Mini holds 2.6× more — 1M (~1,571 pages) vs 400K (~600 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
▸Recency: GPT-5.4 Mini is the newer model by about 11 months (released March 17, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
Spec
GPT-4.1 Mini
GPT-5.4 Mini
Provider
OpenAI (US)
OpenAI (US)
Released
April 14, 2025
March 17, 2026
Context window
1M (~1,571 pages)
400K (~600 pages)
Price (in/out)
$0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens
$0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image, code
text, image, code
SWE-Bench Verified
23.6%
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
Not published
Who wins what
Very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens
GPT-4.1 Mini
At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens it undercuts GPT-5.4 Mini ($0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens), and that gap compounds at volume.
Instruction following above its weight class — 84.1% on IFEval, beating GPT-4o
GPT-4.1 Mini
A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT — and it runs cheaper at $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens.
Multi-turn coherence for its tier — 35.8% on MultiChallenge, roughly 1.8x GPT-4o mini
GPT-4.1 Mini
A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT — and it carries the larger 1M context.
Free for every ChatGPT user
GPT-5.4 Mini
GPT-4.1 Mini is comparatively weak here — retired from ChatGPT in February 2026, and OpenAI's own docs now point users to GPT-5 mini instead
Fast, low-cost general tasks
GPT-5.4 Mini
OpenAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed — and it is the newer of the two.
Subagent capabilities
GPT-5.4 Mini
GPT-5.4 Mini lists subagent capabilities among its strengths; GPT-4.1 Mini does not.
Lowest cost at scale
GPT-4.1 Mini
At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens, it is the cheaper of the two — the gap dominates the bill on high-volume workloads.
Largest single-prompt input
GPT-4.1 Mini
Its 1M window is about 2.6× larger than GPT-5.4 Mini's 400K, fitting roughly 1,571 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume
→ GPT-4.1 Mini
At $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens it undercuts GPT-5.4 Mini, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases
→ GPT-4.1 Mini
Larger 1M window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens
→ GPT-4.1 Mini
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is free for every chatgpt user
→ GPT-5.4 Mini
That is its strongest area.
GPT-4.1 Mini: where it fits
A cheap, fast 1M-context workhorse with strong instruction following but weak coding — already retired from ChatGPT. Released April 14, 2025 by OpenAI, it is built for very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens, instruction following above its weight class — 84.1% on IFEval, beating GPT-4o, multi-turn coherence for its tier — 35.8% on MultiChallenge, roughly 1.8x GPT-4o mini, and a full 1M context at flat pricing, with no long-context premium.
Its trade-offs are real: weak at agentic coding — its 23.6% on SWE-Bench Verified sits below GPT-4o's 33.2%, retired from ChatGPT in February 2026, and OpenAI's own docs now point users to GPT-5 mini instead, and a June 2024 knowledge cutoff, now roughly two years stale, and no reasoning mode. At $0.4 in / $1.6 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
GPT-5.4 Mini: where it fits
OpenAI's free, fast workhorse — capable general AI with no subscription needed. Released March 17, 2026 by OpenAI, it is built for free for every ChatGPT user, fast, low-cost general tasks, subagent capabilities, and native multimodal reasoning.
Its trade-offs: smaller context than flagship models, and not for the hardest reasoning. At $0.75 in / $4.5 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Because GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.4 Mini come from the same lab (OpenAI), they share the same training philosophy and ecosystem — the decision is purely tier vs. cost. GPT-5.4 Mini is the more capable, more recent option; the other earns its place only when its price or latency profile fits a specific job better. Most teams should default to GPT-5.4 Mini and drop down only with a concrete reason.
Want both GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.4 Mini 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.
Is GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for GPT-5.4 Mini, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, GPT-4.1 Mini leans toward very cheap high-volume text work at $0.40 in / $1.60 out per million tokens while GPT-5.4 Mini leans toward free for every chatgpt user, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini?
GPT-4.1 Mini is cheaper — $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $0.75/$4.5 per 1M tokens, roughly 1.9× apart on input.
Which has the bigger context window?
GPT-4.1 Mini — 1M vs 400K, about 2.6× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Should I upgrade from GPT-4.1 Mini to GPT-5.4 Mini?
Since both are OpenAI models, the newer one (GPT-5.4 Mini) is usually the better default unless you need a specific cost or latency profile from the other.
Which is newer, GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.4 Mini?
GPT-5.4 Mini — released March 17, 2026, about 11 months after GPT-4.1 Mini.
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.