OpenAI o1 vs Qwen Max
Performance benchmarks + pricing comparison — updated April 2026
OpenAI o1
OpenAIReasoning model optimized for complex problem-solving. Excels at math, science, and advanced coding.
| Input | $15.00/M |
| Output | $60.00/M |
| Context | 200K tokens |
| Best For | Complex math, advanced coding, scientific reasoning |
| Benchmark | 83/100 |
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 | OpenAI o1 | Qwen Max | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83 | 68 | o1 leads by 15pts |
| SWE-bench Verified | 80 | 62 | o1 leads by 18pts |
| LiveCodeBench | 84 | 70 | o1 leads by 14pts |
| HumanEval | 95 | 86 | o1 leads by 9pts |
| BigCodeBench | 73 | 54 | o1 leads by 19pts |
Cost Comparison by Scenario
Estimated cost per project with 30% cache hit rate. Actual costs may vary based on usage patterns.
| Scenario | OpenAI o1 | Qwen Max | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | $2.32 | $0.25 | Qwen Max saves $2.08 (89%) |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | $17.25 | $1.84 | Qwen Max saves $15.41 (89%) |
| Large Project (50K lines) | $86.25 | $9.20 | Qwen Max saves $77.05 (89%) |
| Code Review (5K lines) | $4.13 | $0.44 | Qwen Max saves $3.69 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI o1 | 83 | $0.181/pt | Higher cost per point |
| Qwen Max | 68 | $0.024/pt | Better value |
Qwen Max delivers the best value at $0.024 per score point.
Strengths & Weaknesses
OpenAI o1
- + Strong step-by-step reasoning
- + Best at math-heavy coding
- - Expensive
- - Slow
Qwen Max
- + Strong Chinese language support
- + Good value
- - Less tested on English coding
Verdict
Qwen Max is cheaper at $1.60/M, but OpenAI o1 scores higher on benchmarks (83 vs 68).
Choose Qwen Max for cost-sensitive projects, OpenAI o1 when performance matters most.
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