GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5
Side-by-side benchmark comparison across coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing.
GPT-5 by OpenAI wins on 14 of 16 benchmarks against GPT-4.1 by OpenAI, which leads on 2. This head-to-head comparison covers coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing metrics from our benchmark data.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
General Intelligence: In general intelligence, GPT-5 scores 1390 on Chatbot Arena ELO compared to GPT-4.1's 1340, while GPT-5 scores 86.0% on MMLU-Pro compared to GPT-4.1's 78.0%, while GPT-5 scores 90.0% on IFEval compared to GPT-4.1's 88.0%.
Coding: In coding, GPT-5 scores 92.0% on HumanEval+ compared to GPT-4.1's 89.0%, while GPT-5 scores 74.9% on SWE-bench Verified compared to GPT-4.1's 50.0%, while GPT-5 scores 78.0% on LiveCodeBench compared to GPT-4.1's 55.0%.
Math: In math, GPT-5 scores 94.6% on MATH compared to GPT-4.1's 83.0%, while GPT-5 scores 98.0% on GSM8K compared to GPT-4.1's 94.0%.
Reasoning: In reasoning, GPT-5 scores 87.3% on GPQA Diamond compared to GPT-4.1's 58.0%, while GPT-5 scores 50.0% on ARC-AGI compared to GPT-4.1's 40.0%.
Context: In context, GPT-4.1 scores 1.0M on Context Length compared to GPT-5's 400K.
Pricing Comparison
GPT-4.1 costs $2.0/1M input tokens and $8.0/1M output tokens, while GPT-5 costs $1.3/1M input and $10.0/1M output. GPT-5 is the more affordable option for API usage.
Speed Comparison
GPT-4.1 generates output at 70 tok/s compared to GPT-5's 100 tok/s, and the time to first token is 450 ms for GPT-4.1 versus 320 ms for GPT-5. GPT-5 delivers faster throughput.
Verdict
GPT-5 leads across the board in coding, general intelligence, math, affordability, speed, making it the stronger overall choice in this comparison.
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GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5 — FAQ
Which is better, GPT-4.1 or GPT-5?
GPT-5 wins on more benchmarks overall (14 vs 2). However, the best choice depends on your specific needs — each model excels in different areas.
How does GPT-4.1 compare to GPT-5 for coding?
GPT-5 is better for coding, scoring 74.9% on SWE-bench Verified compared to 50.0%. SWE-bench tests real-world software engineering by resolving actual GitHub issues.
Is GPT-4.1 cheaper than GPT-5?
Yes, GPT-5 is cheaper. GPT-4.1 costs $2.0/1M input and $8.0/1M output tokens. GPT-5 costs $1.3/1M input and $10.0/1M output tokens.
Which is faster, GPT-4.1 or GPT-5?
GPT-5 is faster, generating output at 100 tok/s compared to 70 tok/s. Faster output speed means shorter wait times for API responses.
What benchmarks does the GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5 comparison cover?
This comparison covers 16 benchmarks including Chatbot Arena ELO, MMLU-Pro, HumanEval+, IFEval, MATH, GPQA Diamond, SWE-bench Verified, Output Speed, and more. Metrics span general intelligence, coding, math, reasoning, speed, and cost categories.