GPT-4.1 mini vs Microsoft Phi-4
Performance benchmarks + pricing comparison — updated April 2026
GPT-4.1 mini
OpenAICost-optimized GPT-4.1 variant. Strong coding capability at budget pricing, replacing GPT-4o mini for many use cases.
| Input | $0.400/M |
| Output | $1.60/M |
| Context | 128K tokens |
| Best For | High-volume coding, cost-sensitive projects, automation |
| Benchmark | 68/100 |
Microsoft Phi-4
MicrosoftMicrosoft's compact 14B model with strong reasoning and coding capability. Excellent value for small-scale deployments.
| Input | $0.100/M |
| Output | $0.300/M |
| Context | 128K tokens |
| Best For | Edge deployments, local inference, budget coding |
| Benchmark | 45/100 |
Benchmark Performance Comparison
Third-party benchmark scores — higher is better. Data sourced from SWE-bench, LiveCodeBench, HumanEval, and BigCodeBench.
| Benchmark | GPT-4.1 mini | Microsoft Phi-4 | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68 | 45 | GPT-4.1 Mini leads by 23pts |
| SWE-bench Verified | 62 | 38 | GPT-4.1 Mini leads by 24pts |
| LiveCodeBench | 70 | 46 | GPT-4.1 Mini leads by 24pts |
| HumanEval | 86 | 68 | GPT-4.1 Mini leads by 18pts |
| BigCodeBench | 54 | 30 | GPT-4.1 Mini leads by 24pts |
Cost Comparison by Scenario
Estimated cost per project with 30% cache hit rate. Actual costs may vary based on usage patterns.
| Scenario | GPT-4.1 mini | Microsoft Phi-4 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | $0.06 | $0.01 | Microsoft Phi-4 saves $0.05 (80%) |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | $0.46 | $0.10 | Microsoft Phi-4 saves $0.37 (79%) |
| Large Project (50K lines) | $2.30 | $0.47 | Microsoft Phi-4 saves $1.83 (79%) |
| Code Review (5K lines) | $0.11 | $0.02 | Microsoft Phi-4 saves $0.09 (77%) |
Value Analysis (Price per Benchmark Score Point)
Lower is better — how much you pay for each point of benchmark performance.
| Model | Overall Score | Price per Score Point | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-4.1 mini | 68 | $0.022/pt | Higher cost per point |
| Microsoft Phi-4 | 45 | $0.002/pt | Better value |
Microsoft Phi-4 delivers the best value at $0.002 per score point.
Strengths & Weaknesses
GPT-4.1 mini
- + Good value
- + Latest architecture
- - Mini variant limitations
Microsoft Phi-4
- + Small model, runs locally
- - Limited capacity
Verdict
Microsoft Phi-4 is cheaper at $0.100/M, but GPT-4.1 mini scores higher on benchmarks (68 vs 45).
Choose Microsoft Phi-4 for cost-sensitive projects, GPT-4.1 mini when performance matters most.
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