GPT-4o mini vs Grok 3 Mini
Performance benchmarks + pricing comparison — updated April 2026
GPT-4o mini
OpenAIAffordable small model. Fast and cost-effective for high-volume coding tasks.
| Input | $0.150/M |
| Output | $0.600/M |
| Context | 128K tokens |
| Best For | High-volume tasks, simple coding, cost-sensitive projects |
| Benchmark | 58/100 |
Grok 3 Mini
xAICost-effective xAI model for high-volume tasks. Good balance of capability and affordability.
| Input | $0.300/M |
| Output | $0.500/M |
| Context | 128K tokens |
| Best For | High-volume tasks, simple coding, cost-sensitive projects |
| Benchmark | 50/100 |
Benchmark Performance Comparison
Third-party benchmark scores — higher is better. Data sourced from SWE-bench, LiveCodeBench, HumanEval, and BigCodeBench.
| Benchmark | GPT-4o mini | Grok 3 Mini | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58 | 50 | GPT-4o Mini leads by 8pts |
| SWE-bench Verified | 50 | 42 | GPT-4o Mini leads by 8pts |
| LiveCodeBench | 60 | 52 | GPT-4o Mini leads by 8pts |
| HumanEval | 78 | 72 | GPT-4o Mini leads by 6pts |
| BigCodeBench | 44 | 36 | GPT-4o Mini leads by 8pts |
Cost Comparison by Scenario
Estimated cost per project with 30% cache hit rate. Actual costs may vary based on usage patterns.
| Scenario | GPT-4o mini | Grok 3 Mini | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | $0.02 | $0.03 | GPT-4o mini saves <$0.01 (4%) |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | $0.18 | $0.21 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.02 (10%) |
| Large Project (50K lines) | $0.92 | $1.02 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.11 (10%) |
| Code Review (5K lines) | $0.05 | $0.07 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.02 (28%) |
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-4o mini | 58 | $0.003/pt | Better value |
| Grok 3 Mini | 50 | $0.006/pt | Higher cost per point |
GPT-4o mini delivers the best value at $0.003 per score point.
Strengths & Weaknesses
GPT-4o mini
- + Very cheap
- + Fast responses
- - Struggles with multi-step reasoning
Grok 3 Mini
- + Budget option
- + Fast
- - Limited capabilities
Verdict
GPT-4o mini wins on both price and performance — $0.150/M input with a benchmark score of 58/100.
For most developers, this is the clear choice between these two models.
Compare with Other Models
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