o3 Mini vs o4-mini
Compare o3 Mini and o4-mini: pricing, performance, context window, latency, and best use cases. Side-by-side comparison on XALEN.
Updated 2026-05-21 · By Abhishek Raj · Our methodology
| Feature | o3 Mini | o4-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reasoning | Reasoning |
| Parameters | ~200B | ~200B |
| Context Window | 200K | 200K |
| Input Price | $0.04/1M tokens | $0.03/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $0.16/1M tokens | $0.12/1M tokens |
| Latency | ~1000ms | ~800ms |
Choose o3 Mini when:
- ✓ Structured analysis
- ✓ Quick reasoning
- ✓ Scoring tasks
Fast reasoning, Good logic chains, Cost-efficient
Choose o4-mini when:
- ✓ Kundali scoring
- ✓ Compatibility analysis
- ✓ Decision systems
Fast reasoning, Cost-efficient, 200K context
Verdict: o3 Mini vs o4-mini
For cost efficiency, o4-mini wins at $0.03/1M input tokens. For speed, o3 Mini is faster at ~1000ms. o3 Mini excels at Structured analysis while o4-mini is better for Kundali scoring. Both are available on XALEN through a single API — try them in the Playground to see which fits your workload.
Detailed Analysis
Pricing Comparison
o3 Mini costs $0.04/1M input tokens and $0.16/1M output tokens. o4-mini costs $0.03 input and $0.12 output. o4-mini is 1.3x cheaper on input tokens. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.
Performance & Context
o3 Mini has a 200K context window with ~1000ms latency. o4-mini offers 200K context at ~800ms. Both have identical context windows.
Best For
o3 Mini (Reasoning) is optimized for: Structured analysis, Quick reasoning, Scoring tasks. o4-mini (Reasoning) works best for: Kundali scoring, Compatibility analysis, Decision systems.
Try Both on XALEN
Both models are available through XALEN's OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between them by changing the model parameter:
from xalen import XALEN
client = XALEN(api_key="xln_test_YOUR_KEY")
# Use o3 Mini
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
model="o3-mini",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)
# Use o4-mini
response_b = client.chat.completions.create(
model="o4-mini",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, o3 Mini or o4-mini?
o3 Mini (Reasoning, ~200B) offers Fast reasoning. o4-mini (Reasoning, ~200B) offers Fast reasoning. Choose o3 Mini for Structured analysis or o4-mini for Kundali scoring.
How much does o3 Mini cost vs o4-mini?
o3 Mini: $0.04/1M input, $0.16/1M output. o4-mini: $0.03/1M input, $0.12/1M output. Both available on XALEN with batch processing at 50% discount.
Can I use both models on XALEN?
Yes. XALEN provides 200+ models through a single OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between o3 Mini and o4-mini by changing the model parameter. No code changes needed.
Related Comparisons
Last updated: 2026-05-21. Pricing and specifications may change. Check pricing page for latest rates.