GPT-4.1 Mini vs GPT-5.5
OpenAI · US | OpenAI · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Both are OpenAI models. GPT-5.5 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-5.5 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-5.5 is openAI's first fully retrained base since GPT-4.5 — the terminal and computer-use champion. 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 13× cheaper on input ($0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $5/$30 per 1M tokens) — a large enough gap that at scale it can be the single biggest line item in the decision.
- ▸Context window: 1M vs 1M — within a few percent of each other, so treat this as a tie and test on your own long inputs, since usable recall varies by model.
- ▸Recency: GPT-5.5 is the newer model by about 12 months (released April 23, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | GPT-4.1 Mini | GPT-5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI (US) | OpenAI (US) |
| Released | April 14, 2025 | April 23, 2026 |
| Context window | 1M (~1,571 pages) | 1M (~1,500 pages) |
| Price (in/out) | $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens | $5/$30 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-5.5 ($5/$30 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
GPT-5.5 is comparatively weak here — tiered long-context pricing above 272K 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 runs cheaper at $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens.
Terminal, CLI and computer-use automation
GPT-5.5
OpenAI's first fully retrained base since GPT-4.5 — the terminal and computer-use champion — and it is the newer of the two.
Long-horizon tool sequencing
GPT-5.5
GPT-5.5 lists long-horizon tool sequencing among its strengths; GPT-4.1 Mini does not.
Strong agentic coding and reasoning
GPT-5.5
GPT-4.1 Mini is comparatively weak here — weak at agentic coding — its 23.6% on SWE-Bench Verified sits below GPT-4o's 33.2%
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.
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-5.5, 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 terminal, cli and computer-use automation
→ GPT-5.5
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-5.5: where it fits
OpenAI's first fully retrained base since GPT-4.5 — the terminal and computer-use champion. Released April 23, 2026 by OpenAI, it is built for terminal, CLI and computer-use automation, long-horizon tool sequencing, strong agentic coding and reasoning, and browser-driving agents.
Its trade-offs: trails Opus 4.8 on hardest coding benchmarks, and tiered long-context pricing above 272K tokens. At $5 in / $30 out per million tokens, it sits in the premium price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Because GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-5.5 come from the same lab (OpenAI), they share the same training philosophy and ecosystem — the decision is purely tier vs. cost. GPT-5.5 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-5.5 and drop down only with a concrete reason.
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See pricingFrequently asked questions
Is GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.5 better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for GPT-5.5, 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-5.5 leans toward terminal, cli and computer-use automation, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, GPT-4.1 Mini or GPT-5.5?
GPT-4.1 Mini is cheaper — $0.4/$1.6 per 1M tokens vs $5/$30 per 1M tokens, roughly 13× apart on input.
Which has the bigger context window?
Effectively neither — 1M vs 1M is a difference of a few percent. Remember advertised ≠ usable: recall typically degrades before the ceiling.
Should I upgrade from GPT-4.1 Mini to GPT-5.5?
Since both are OpenAI models, the newer one (GPT-5.5) 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-5.5?
GPT-5.5 — released April 23, 2026, about 12 months after GPT-4.1 Mini.
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.