GPT-5 nano vs Granite 3.1 2B
A complete head-to-head: pricing, context window, benchmarks, modality coverage, and openness, with a programmatic verdict synthesized from the underlying data.
Updated
GPT-5 nano specs · Granite 3.1 2B specs- PriceGPT-5 nano
GPT-5 nano publishes pricing ($0.40 / 1M output tokens) while Granite 3.1 2B does not.
- Context windowGPT-5 nano
GPT-5 nano accepts 400K tokens vs 128K, 3.1× the room for long documents and codebases.
- BenchmarksTie
No directly comparable public benchmarks are available for both models, check the spec sheets for individual scores.
- ModalitiesGPT-5 nano
GPT-5 nano supports 2 modalities (text, vision) vs 1 for Granite 3.1 2B.
- OpennessGranite 3.1 2B
Granite 3.1 2B ships open weights (Apache-2.0); GPT-5 nano is API-only.
On balance GPT-5 nano edges ahead, winning 3 of 5 categories against Granite 3.1 2B's 1. GPT-5 nano publishes pricing ($0.40 / 1M output tokens) while Granite 3.1 2B does not. GPT-5 nano accepts 400K tokens vs 128K, 3.1× the room for long documents and codebases.
No directly comparable public benchmarks are available for both models, check the spec sheets for individual scores. They differ in modality coverage, GPT-5 nano handles text, vision while Granite 3.1 2B handles text, which can be the deciding factor before you even look at benchmarks. Granite 3.1 2B ships open weights (Apache-2.0); GPT-5 nano is API-only.
GPT-5 nano is the newer of the two, released 8 months after Granite 3.1 2B, which usually means a more recent knowledge cutoff and updated safety post-training. GPT-5 nano is usually picked for cheapest llm and fastest llm workloads, while Granite 3.1 2B sees more deployments in edge deployment and on device. If pricing matters more than every last benchmark point, run the numbers in the calculator below before committing.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | GPT-5 nano | Granite 3.1 2B |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Other |
| Released | Aug 2025 | Dec 2024 |
| Modalities | text, vision | text |
| Context window | 400K tokens | 128K tokens |
| Max output | 128K tokens | , |
| Input · 1M | $0.050 / 1M tokens | Pricing not published |
| Output · 1M | $0.40 / 1M tokens | Pricing not published |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-09 | , |
| Open weights | No | Yes (Apache-2.0) |
| 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$0.750 vs ,
- Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day$7.50 vs ,
- RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day$9.90 vs ,
Light usage, 100k in / 50k out per day: pricing not directly comparable (one or both models are missing public per-token rates). Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day: pricing not directly comparable (one or both models are missing public per-token rates). RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day: pricing not directly comparable (one or both models are missing public per-token rates).
Estimated spend for the listed models at your usage. Numbers are derived from each model's published per-million-token rates.
- GPT-5 nano$0.025
- Granite 3.1 2BPricing unavailable
Benchmarks compared
Only sourced numbers. Where a benchmark is missing for one model we show the available value rather than fabricating the other.
GPT-5 nano fits when…
- Lowest-cost OpenAI model with vision support
- Fast P99 latency
- Good enough for routing and classification
- Long-context tasks, handles 400K tokens vs 128K for Granite 3.1 2B.
- Multimodal needs covering vision.
Granite 3.1 2B fits when…
- Apache-2.0
- Tiny enterprise model
- Self-hosting and on-prem requirements, open weights (Apache-2.0).
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-5 nano or Granite 3.1 2B cheaper?
Per-token pricing isn't published for at least one of these models, check each model's spec page for current rates.Which has the larger context window?
GPT-5 nano accepts 400K tokens vs 128K for Granite 3.1 2B.Is GPT-5 nano or Granite 3.1 2B better for coding?
Both GPT-5 nano and Granite 3.1 2B 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?
Granite 3.1 2B ships open weights (Apache-2.0). GPT-5 nano is API-only.When were GPT-5 nano and Granite 3.1 2B released?
GPT-5 nano was released by OpenAI on 2025-08-07. Granite 3.1 2B was released by Other on 2024-12-18.
The week's AI launches, in your inbox.
One short email every Friday, new models, leaks, and quietly-shipped APIs you missed.