o3 vs o4-mini
o3 vs o4-mini: $2/$8 vs $1.1/$4.4 per 1M, the same workload priced on both; o4-mini is 45% cheaper per request.
| o3 | o4-mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider · tier | openai · mid | openai · fast |
| Input | $2 | $1.1 |
| Cached input | $0.5 | $0.275 |
| Cache write | none | none |
| Output | $8 | $4.4 |
| Long-context tier | none | none |
| Per request (2,000 in / 300 out) | $0.0063999999999999994 | $0.00352 |
| Per month at 100k requests | $640 | $352 |
| …with the static prefix cached | $415 | $228 |
| Cheaper sibling (cascade) | o4-mini | — |
Through TokenZero
Point your SDK at the gateway and keep both keys; the cache formatter, response cache and advisory routing act on every request, and each one comes back with a signed receipt showing the list-price baseline, actual cost and the saving.
OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://tokenzero.sh/w/<key>/v1 ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://tokenzero.sh/w/<key>
Questions
Which is cheaper, o3 or o4-mini?
At list prices (table 2026-10-26) o4-mini is 45% cheaper per request on a 2,000-in / 300-out workload. Quality is a separate question: TokenZero's cascade only routes to a sibling it scores as sufficient and measures parity with shadow evaluation.
Where do these prices come from?
The providers' own pricing pages, re-verified on 2026-10-26; the gateway signs receipts with the same table.