OpenAI vs xAI
Complete comparison of OpenAI (17 models) and xAI (7 models) for AI coding projects. Updated April 2026.
Quick Verdict
OpenAI offers 17 models ranging from $0.100 to $30.00 per million input tokens. Cheapest: GPT-4.1 Nano.
xAI offers 7 models ranging from $0.300 to $5.00 per million input tokens. Cheapest: Grok 3 Mini.
Winner on price: OpenAI ($0.100/M input). Winner on average: xAI (avg $2.69/M).
Winner Per Scenario
Which provider has the cheapest model for each coding scenario?
| Scenario | OpenAI Best | xAI Best | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | GPT-4.1 Nano — $0.02 | Grok 3 Mini — $0.03 | OpenAI wins by $0.01 |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | GPT-4.1 Nano — $0.12 | Grok 3 Mini — $0.21 | OpenAI wins by $0.09 |
| Large Project (50K lines) | GPT-4.1 Nano — $0.58 | Grok 3 Mini — $1.02 | OpenAI wins by $0.45 |
| Code Review (5K lines) | GPT-4.1 Nano — $0.03 | Grok 3 Mini — $0.07 | OpenAI wins by $0.04 |
Head-to-Head Model Comparisons
Each OpenAI model matched against its closest-priced xAI competitor. Medium project cost (500K input + 200K output).
| OpenAI | xAI | Cost | Cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | Grok 3 | $3.06 | $4.05 | GPT-4o saves $0.99 (24%) |
| GPT-4o mini | Grok 3 Mini | $0.18 | $0.21 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.02 (10%) |
| GPT-4 Turbo | Grok 4 | $9.50 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $2.75 (29%) |
| GPT-4 | Grok 4 | $22.50 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $15.75 (70%) |
| GPT-3.5 Turbo | Grok 3 Mini | $0.48 | $0.21 | Grok 3 Mini saves $0.27 (57%) |
| OpenAI o1 | Grok 4 | $17.25 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $10.50 (61%) |
| OpenAI o1-mini | Grok Code | $1.27 | $2.02 | OpenAI o1-mini saves $0.76 (38%) |
| OpenAI o3 | Grok 4 | $11.50 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $4.75 (41%) |
| OpenAI o3-mini | Grok Code | $1.27 | $2.02 | OpenAI o3-mini saves $0.76 (38%) |
| OpenAI o4-mini | Grok Code | $1.27 | $2.02 | OpenAI o4-mini saves $0.76 (38%) |
| OpenAI o1 Pro | Grok 4 | $23.00 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $16.25 (71%) |
| OpenAI o3 Pro | Grok 4 | $23.00 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $16.25 (71%) |
| GPT-4.1 | Grok 2 | $2.30 | $2.70 | GPT-4.1 saves $0.40 (15%) |
| GPT-4.1 mini | Grok 3 Mini | $0.46 | $0.21 | Grok 3 Mini saves $0.26 (55%) |
| GPT-4.1 Nano | Grok 3 Mini | $0.12 | $0.21 | GPT-4.1 Nano saves $0.09 (44%) |
| O3 Mini | Grok Code | $1.27 | $2.02 | O3 Mini saves $0.76 (38%) |
| O1 Preview | Grok 4 | $17.25 | $6.75 | Grok 4 saves $10.50 (61%) |
Full Ranking — All 24 Models
Every model from both providers, ranked by medium project cost.
| # | Model | Provider | Input ($/M) | Medium Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GPT-4.1 Nano | OpenAI | $0.100 | $0.12 |
| 2 | GPT-4o mini | OpenAI | $0.150 | $0.18 |
| 3 | Grok 3 Mini | xAI | $0.300 | $0.21 |
| 4 | GPT-4.1 mini | OpenAI | $0.400 | $0.46 |
| 5 | GPT-3.5 Turbo | OpenAI | $0.500 | $0.48 |
| 6 | OpenAI o1-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 7 | OpenAI o3-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 8 | OpenAI o4-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 9 | O3 Mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 10 | Grok Code | xAI | $1.50 | $2.02 |
| 11 | GPT-4.1 | OpenAI | $2.00 | $2.30 |
| 12 | Grok 2 | xAI | $2.00 | $2.70 |
| 13 | Grok 2 Vision | xAI | $2.00 | $2.70 |
| 14 | GPT-4o | OpenAI | $2.50 | $3.06 |
| 15 | Grok 3 | xAI | $3.00 | $4.05 |
| 16 | Grok 3 Vision | xAI | $5.00 | $5.75 |
| 17 | Grok 4 | xAI | $5.00 | $6.75 |
| 18 | GPT-4 Turbo | OpenAI | $10.00 | $9.50 |
| 19 | OpenAI o3 | OpenAI | $10.00 | $11.50 |
| 20 | OpenAI o1 | OpenAI | $15.00 | $17.25 |
| 21 | O1 Preview | OpenAI | $15.00 | $17.25 |
| 22 | GPT-4 | OpenAI | $30.00 | $22.50 |
| 23 | OpenAI o1 Pro | OpenAI | $20.00 | $23.00 |
| 24 | OpenAI o3 Pro | OpenAI | $20.00 | $23.00 |
Explore Individual Comparisons
Detailed side-by-side comparisons between specific models.