GPT-4o mini vs Qwen Max
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 |
Qwen Max
QwenQwen's most powerful model. Strong reasoning and coding capabilities.
| Input | $1.60/M |
| Output | $6.40/M |
| Context | 32K tokens |
| Best For | Complex reasoning, advanced coding |
| Benchmark | 68/100 |
Benchmark Performance Comparison
Third-party benchmark scores — higher is better. Data sourced from SWE-bench, LiveCodeBench, HumanEval, and BigCodeBench.
| Benchmark | GPT-4o mini | Qwen Max | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58 | 68 | Qwen Max leads by 10pts |
| SWE-bench Verified | 50 | 62 | Qwen Max leads by 12pts |
| LiveCodeBench | 60 | 70 | Qwen Max leads by 10pts |
| HumanEval | 78 | 86 | Qwen Max leads by 8pts |
| BigCodeBench | 44 | 54 | Qwen Max leads by 10pts |
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 | Qwen Max | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | $0.02 | $0.25 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.22 (90%) |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | $0.18 | $1.84 | GPT-4o mini saves $1.66 (90%) |
| Large Project (50K lines) | $0.92 | $9.20 | GPT-4o mini saves $8.28 (90%) |
| Code Review (5K lines) | $0.05 | $0.44 | GPT-4o mini saves $0.39 (89%) |
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 |
| Qwen Max | 68 | $0.024/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
Qwen Max
- + Strong Chinese language support
- + Good value
- - Less tested on English coding
Verdict
GPT-4o mini is cheaper at $0.150/M, but Qwen Max scores higher on benchmarks (68 vs 58).
Choose GPT-4o mini for cost-sensitive projects, Qwen Max when performance matters most.
Compare with Other Models
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