GPT-5 mini vs Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning
GPT-5 mini vs Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning: GPT-5 mini is cheaper by 88% on average. GPT-5 mini from OpenAI (272,000-token context, reasoning, tool calls) vs. Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning from xAI (2,000,000-token context, reasoning, tool calls). Use Agent Command Center to A/B both in shadow mode and pick the winner per workload.
Side-by-side cost
Live workload comparison
Same workload run through both models. The cheaper one is highlighted.
3,000
02,000,000
400
0200,000
5,000
01,000,000
At this workload, GPT-5 mini is 82% cheaper than Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning — a savings of $1,042/month ($12,510/year).
Production recipe — Agent Command Center
strategy: cost-optimized
primary:
model: gpt-5-mini
provider: openai
fallback:
model: grok-4-20-beta-0309-reasoning
provider: xai
shadow: { sample_rate: 0.05 } # mirror 5% of traffic to compare quality live| GPT-5 mini | Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.250/M | $2.00/M |
| Output price | $2.00/M | $6.00/M |
| Context window | 272,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Max output | 128,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Function calling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vision | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio input | — | — |
| Reasoning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prompt caching | ✓ | ✓ |
| Structured output | ✓ | — |
| Pricing verified | May 12, 2026 | May 12, 2026 |
Benchmark comparison
Side-by-side public benchmark scores. Greener bar = winner.
Chatbot Arena ELOgeneral
GPT-5 mini
1,395
Grok 4.20 beta 0309 Reasoning
1,477