GPT-5 Nano
gpt-5-nano
70% in · 30% out mix
Higher = better value
Speed
99/100
Context
128K
Tier
fast
GPT-4.1
gpt-4-1
70% in · 30% out mix
Higher = better value
Speed
88/100
Context
1.0M
Tier
smart
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS
GPT-5 Nano vs GPT-4.1: Detailed Comparison
GPT-5 Nano is OpenAI's lightweight-tier language model with a 128K-token context window, excelling at data extraction. GPT-4.1 from OpenAI is a mid-range-tier model supporting 1.0M tokens in context, with standout performance in reasoning.
GPT-5 Nano is the more cost-efficient option in this comparison — it costs up to 97% less than GPT-4.1 on a typical prompt/completion mix. GPT-5 Nano is priced at $0.10/M input tokens and $0.15/M output tokens. GPT-4.1 costs $2.00/M input and $8.00/M output.
In independent benchmark evaluations, GPT-4.1 leads with coding scores of 91/100 and reasoning scores of 93/100, compared to GPT-5 Nano's 72/100 in coding and 72/100 in reasoning.
GPT-4.1 supports the larger context window at 1.0M tokens, useful for long-document analysis and large codebases. For latency-sensitive applications, GPT-5 Nano has a speed score of 99/100 versus GPT-4.1's 88/100.
Choose GPT-5 Nano when cost efficiency is the priority; opt for GPT-4.1 when maximum performance is required. GPT-4.1 holds the edge in overall benchmark scores. Both models have distinct strengths — use the interactive calculator above to model costs for your exact token volume.
Benchmark Comparison
Head-to-head scores across 5 categories — sourced from official evals
Coding
Reasoning
Extraction
Creative
Vision
Speed Score
Context Window
What Is a Token?
Models don't read words — they process tokens.
A token is roughly 4 characters of English text (~¾ of a word). Your API bill is priced per million tokens — understanding this directly reduces your costs.
Short phrase
"Hello, world!"
Business email
One typical email (~200 words)
Code file
50-line Python script
How to check your token usage
response.usage.total_tokensEvery API response includes a usage object. Sum total_tokens across all calls to get your monthly figure, then use the calculator below.
Your Cost Calculator
Enter your actual monthly token usage to see real savings
Quick Presets
GPT-5 Nano
$3.45/mo
$41.40/yr
GPT-4.1
$114.00/mo
$1,368.00/yr
Annual Savings
$1,326.60 saved per year
GPT-5 Nano cheaper · $110.55/mo
Deep-Dive Audit — GPT-5 Nano & GPT-4.1
Surgically Auditing: Deep Logic
3-YEAR STRATEGIC LOSS PROJECTION
-$229.86
Without optimization protocols, current model choices will result in -$76.62 capital loss per year.
EFFICIENCY SCORE
72%
This model achieves a 72 benchmark score in this category.
CATEGORY GAP
26 pts
Distance from Leader
Competitive Landscape Analysis
Source: MMLU-Pro + GPQA Diamond (Apr 2026)
Category Champion: Claude Opus 4.6
According to MMLU-Pro + GPQA Diamond (Apr 2026) data, Claude Opus 4.6 provides the optimum balance for Deep Logic tasks.
Market Score
%98
Savings Rate
%-2554
Operational Prescription
- Implement model cascading to optimize token spend.
- Analyze complex_reasoning data to leverage local semantic caching.
COST_AUDIT_PROTOCOL
Categorical Fit
"GPT-5 Nano scores 72 in this category — a well-matched choice."
Categorical Alternative Opportunity
"Claude Opus 4.6 leads this category with 98 points according to MMLU-Pro + GPQA Diamond (Apr 2026) data."
Inertia Tax Detected
"85% of traffic can be routed to cheaper models. Fast tier (DeepSeek V3) and Smart tier (o3-mini) can save $-6.38/month."
3-Tier Intelligent Routing Architecture
-2554% SAVINGS VIA ROUTINGDeepSeek V3
IQ Score: 91/100
$30.24/yr
o3-mini
IQ Score: 97/100
$277.20/yr
Claude Opus 4.6
IQ Score: 98/100
$648.00/yr
Without tiered routing, you pay the 'Inertia Tax' — routing all traffic to the most expensive model regardless of task complexity. Tiered cascade eliminates $0.00/year in avoidable overhead.
Deep Logic — Model Cost / Quality Matrix
Source: MMLU-Pro + GPQA Diamond (Apr 2026)| Model | Benchmark | Input (per M) | Output (per M) | Annual Cost* | Value Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Claude Opus 4.6LEADER | 98/100 | $5.00 | $25.00 | $360.00 | 1/100 |
o3-mini | 97/100 | $1.10 | $4.40 | $66.00 | 6/100 |
DeepSeek R1 | 97/100 | $0.55 | $2.19 | $32.88 | 12/100 |
GPT-5.2 Chat | 96/100 | $1.75 | $14.00 | $189.00 | 2/100 |
Claude 3.7 Sonnet | 95/100 | $3.00 | $15.00 | $216.00 | 2/100 |
Claude 3.5 Sonnet | 93/100 | $3.00 | $15.00 | $216.00 | 2/100 |
GPT-4.1 | 93/100 | $2.00 | $8.00 | $120.00 | 3/100 |
DeepSeek V3 | 91/100 | $0.14 | $0.28 | $5.04 | 75/100 |
Claude 3 Opus | 90/100 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $1,080.00 | 0/100 |
GPT-4o | 90/100 | $2.50 | $10.00 | $150.00 | 3/100 |
Gemini 3.1 Pro | 89/100 | $2.00 | $12.00 | $168.00 | 2/100 |
Gemini 2.0 Pro | 88/100 | $1.25 | $5.00 | $75.00 | 5/100 |
Llama 3.1 405B | 88/100 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $64.80 | 6/100 |
Gemini 1.5 Pro | 87/100 | $1.25 | $5.00 | $75.00 | 5/100 |
Mistral Large 2 | 86/100 | $2.00 | $6.00 | $96.00 | 4/100 |
DeepSeek V3.2 | 83/100 | $0.26 | $0.38 | $7.68 | 45/100 |
Gemini 2.0 Flash | 81/100 | $0.10 | $0.40 | $6.00 | 56/100 |
Claude 3.5 Haiku | 80/100 | $0.80 | $4.00 | $57.60 | 6/100 |
Llama 3 70B | 79/100 | $0.65 | $2.75 | $40.80 | 8/100 |
GPT-4o Mini | 78/100 | $0.15 | $0.60 | $9.00 | 36/100 |
Gemini 1.5 Flash | 76/100 | $0.07 | $0.30 | $4.50 | 70/100 |
GPT-5 NanoSELECTEDBEST VALUE | 72/100 | $0.10 | $0.15 | $3.00 | 100/100 |
Claude 3 Haiku | 70/100 | $0.25 | $1.25 | $18.00 | 16/100 |
* Annual cost for given volumes. Value Index = Score / Cost (Higher = Best Value).
// iOPTERA Surgical Routing Wrapper
const auditModel = async (prompt: string) => {
const complexity = measureComplexity(prompt);
// Tactical Cascade Logic
if (complexity < 0.45) {
// Redirect simple tasks to efficient model
return await llm.call("iOPTERA Optimization", prompt);
}
// High-latency routing for complex reasoning
return await llm.call("Claude Opus 4.6", prompt);
};Related Comparisons
Explore similar model pairs to find your best fit