Qwen Max vs GPT-4.1 mini
Performance benchmarks + pricing comparison — updated April 2026
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 |
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 |
Benchmark Performance Comparison
Third-party benchmark scores — higher is better. Data sourced from SWE-bench, LiveCodeBench, HumanEval, and BigCodeBench.
| Benchmark | Qwen Max | GPT-4.1 mini | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68 | 68 | Qwen Max leads by 0pts |
| SWE-bench Verified | 62 | 62 | Qwen Max leads by 0pts |
| LiveCodeBench | 70 | 70 | Qwen Max leads by 0pts |
| HumanEval | 86 | 86 | Qwen Max leads by 0pts |
| BigCodeBench | 54 | 54 | Qwen Max leads by 0pts |
Cost Comparison by Scenario
Estimated cost per project with 30% cache hit rate. Actual costs may vary based on usage patterns.
| Scenario | Qwen Max | GPT-4.1 mini | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | $0.25 | $0.06 | GPT-4.1 mini saves $0.19 (75%) |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | $1.84 | $0.46 | GPT-4.1 mini saves $1.38 (75%) |
| Large Project (50K lines) | $9.20 | $2.30 | GPT-4.1 mini saves $6.90 (75%) |
| Code Review (5K lines) | $0.44 | $0.11 | GPT-4.1 mini saves $0.33 (75%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen Max | 68 | $0.024/pt | Higher cost per point |
| GPT-4.1 mini | 68 | $0.022/pt | Better value |
GPT-4.1 mini delivers the best value at $0.022 per score point.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Qwen Max
- + Strong Chinese language support
- + Good value
- - Less tested on English coding
GPT-4.1 mini
- + Good value
- + Latest architecture
- - Mini variant limitations
Verdict
GPT-4.1 mini is cheaper at $0.400/M, but Qwen Max scores higher on benchmarks (68 vs 68).
Choose GPT-4.1 mini for cost-sensitive projects, Qwen Max when performance matters most.
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