GPT-4.1 vs Mistral Large 2
A complete head-to-head: pricing, context window, benchmarks, modality coverage, and openness, with a programmatic verdict synthesized from the underlying data.
Updated
GPT-4.1 specs · Mistral Large 2 specs- PriceMistral Large 2
Mistral Large 2 is roughly 1.3× cheaper on output tokens ($6.00 vs $8.00 per 1M).
- Context windowGPT-4.1
GPT-4.1 accepts 1M tokens vs 128K, 7.8× the room for long documents and codebases.
- BenchmarksTie
Across 2 shared benchmarks the two models split wins evenly. Look at task-specific scores rather than the average.
- ModalitiesGPT-4.1
GPT-4.1 supports 2 modalities (text, vision) vs 1 for Mistral Large 2.
- OpennessMistral Large 2
Mistral Large 2 ships open weights (Mistral Research License); GPT-4.1 is API-only.
It's a genuine coin-flip between GPT-4.1 and Mistral Large 2: 2 category wins each, with the rest tied. Mistral Large 2 is roughly 1.3× cheaper on output tokens ($6.00 vs $8.00 per 1M). GPT-4.1 accepts 1M tokens vs 128K, 7.8× the room for long documents and codebases.
Across 2 shared benchmarks the two models split wins evenly. Look at task-specific scores rather than the average. They differ in modality coverage, GPT-4.1 handles text, vision while Mistral Large 2 handles text, which can be the deciding factor before you even look at benchmarks. Mistral Large 2 ships open weights (Mistral Research License); GPT-4.1 is API-only.
GPT-4.1 is the newer of the two, released 9 months after Mistral Large 2, which usually means a more recent knowledge cutoff and updated safety post-training. GPT-4.1 is usually picked for long context and rag workloads, while Mistral Large 2 sees more deployments in coding llm and multilingual. If pricing matters more than every last benchmark point, run the numbers in the calculator below before committing.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | GPT-4.1 | Mistral Large 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Mistral |
| Released | Apr 2025 | Jul 2024 |
| Modalities | text, vision | text |
| Context window | 1M tokens | 128K tokens |
| Max output | 32.8K tokens | , |
| Input · 1M | $2.00 / 1M tokens | $2.00 / 1M tokens |
| Output · 1M | $8.00 / 1M tokens | $6.00 / 1M tokens |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-06 | 2024-04 |
| Open weights | No | Yes (Mistral Research License) |
| API available | Yes | Yes |
Pricing at scale
What you'd actually pay at typical workloads. Numbers come from each model's published per-million-token rates.
- Light usage, 100k in / 50k out per day$18.00 vs $15.00
- Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day$180 vs $150
- RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day$348 vs $336
Light usage, 100k in / 50k out per day: $18.00 vs $15.00 per month, model B comes out ahead. Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day: $180 vs $150 per month, model B comes out ahead. RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day: $348 vs $336 per month, model B comes out ahead.
Estimated spend for the listed models at your usage. Numbers are derived from each model's published per-million-token rates.
- GPT-4.1$0.600
- Mistral Large 2$0.500
Benchmarks compared
Only sourced numbers. Where a benchmark is missing for one model we show the available value rather than fabricating the other.
- MMLU86.284.0
- HumanEval90.692.0
GPT-4.1 fits when…
- 1M-token context window, strong for long-doc workloads
- Mature SDK and tooling integrations
- Reliable JSON-mode and function-calling
- Long-context tasks, handles 1M tokens vs 128K for Mistral Large 2.
- Multimodal needs covering vision.
Mistral Large 2 fits when…
- Strong code and math
- EU data residency
- Multilingual
- Cost-sensitive workloads, 1.3× cheaper than GPT-4.1 on output tokens.
- Self-hosting and on-prem requirements, open weights (Mistral Research License).
Consider GPT-5.5
OpenAI's mid-cycle GPT-5 refresh, improved reasoning, tool use, and multimodal grounding over the 2025 launch.
Frequently asked
Is GPT-4.1 or Mistral Large 2 cheaper?
Mistral Large 2 is cheaper at $6.00 / 1M tokens per million output tokens, vs $8.00 / 1M tokens for GPT-4.1.Which has the larger context window?
GPT-4.1 accepts 1M tokens vs 128K for Mistral Large 2.Is GPT-4.1 or Mistral Large 2 better for coding?
Both GPT-4.1 and Mistral Large 2 are competitive on coding benchmarks. See each model's individual spec page for HumanEval and SWE-bench scores where published. For an opinionated pick, consult our Best LLM for Coding ranking.Are either of these models open source?
Mistral Large 2 ships open weights (Mistral Research License). GPT-4.1 is API-only.When were GPT-4.1 and Mistral Large 2 released?
GPT-4.1 was released by OpenAI on 2025-04-14. Mistral Large 2 was released by Mistral on 2024-07-24.
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