GPT-5 vs Grok 4
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 specs · Grok 4 specs- PriceGPT-5
GPT-5 is roughly 1.5× cheaper on output tokens ($10.00 vs $15.00 per 1M).
- Context windowGPT-5
GPT-5 accepts 400K tokens vs 256K, 1.6× the room for long documents and codebases.
- BenchmarksGPT-5
GPT-5 leads in 1 of 1 shared benchmarks; the biggest gap is on GPQA (graduate-level reasoning), where it scores 89.4 vs 87.5.
- ModalitiesGPT-5
GPT-5 supports 3 modalities (text, vision, audio) vs 2 for Grok 4.
- OpennessTie
Both are closed-weight, API-only.
On balance GPT-5 edges ahead, winning 4 of 5 categories against Grok 4's 0. GPT-5 is roughly 1.5× cheaper on output tokens ($10.00 vs $15.00 per 1M). GPT-5 accepts 400K tokens vs 256K, 1.6× the room for long documents and codebases.
GPT-5 leads in 1 of 1 shared benchmarks; the biggest gap is on GPQA (graduate-level reasoning), where it scores 89.4 vs 87.5. They differ in modality coverage, GPT-5 handles text, vision, audio while Grok 4 handles text, vision, which can be the deciding factor before you even look at benchmarks. Both are closed-weight, API-only.
Both shipped within roughly a month of each other in 2025, so they share the same generation of training data and tooling. GPT-5 is usually picked for coding llm and agents workloads, while Grok 4 sees more deployments in reasoning and research agent. 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 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI |
| Released | Aug 2025 | Jul 2025 |
| Modalities | text, vision, audio | text, vision |
| Context window | 400K tokens | 256K tokens |
| Max output | 128K tokens | , |
| Input · 1M | $1.25 / 1M tokens | $3.00 / 1M tokens |
| Output · 1M | $10.00 / 1M tokens | $15.00 / 1M tokens |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-09 | 2024-11 |
| Open weights | No | No |
| 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$18.75 vs $31.50
- Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day$188 vs $315
- RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day$248 vs $540
Light usage, 100k in / 50k out per day: $18.75 vs $31.50 per month, model A comes out ahead. Heavy usage, 1M in / 500k out per day: $188 vs $315 per month, model A comes out ahead. RAG workload, 5M in / 200k out per day: $248 vs $540 per month, model A 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-5$0.625
- Grok 4$1.05
Benchmarks compared
Only sourced numbers. Where a benchmark is missing for one model we show the available value rather than fabricating the other.
- MMLU91.4
- HumanEval96.2
- GPQA89.487.5
- SWE-bench Verified74.9
GPT-5 fits when…
- Unified model, reasoning routed automatically per query
- Excellent tool-use and JSON-mode discipline
- Strong agent performance on SWE-bench Verified
- Cost-sensitive workloads, 1.5× cheaper than Grok 4 on output tokens.
- Long-context tasks, handles 400K tokens vs 256K for Grok 4.
Grok 4 fits when…
- Real-time X data access
- Strong on benchmarks at launch
- Less restrictive content policy than peers
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 or Grok 4 cheaper?
GPT-5 is cheaper at $10.00 / 1M tokens per million output tokens, vs $15.00 / 1M tokens for Grok 4.Which has the larger context window?
GPT-5 accepts 400K tokens vs 256K for Grok 4.Is GPT-5 or Grok 4 better for coding?
Both GPT-5 and Grok 4 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?
Neither model ships open weights, both are accessible only via their respective providers' APIs.When were GPT-5 and Grok 4 released?
GPT-5 was released by OpenAI on 2025-08-07. Grok 4 was released by xAI on 2025-07-09.
The week's AI launches, in your inbox.
One short email every Friday, new models, leaks, and quietly-shipped APIs you missed.