o4-mini vs Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking)
Compare o4-mini and Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking): 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 | o4-mini | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reasoning | Reasoning |
| Parameters | ~200B | ~500B |
| Context Window | 200K | 200K |
| Input Price | $0.03/1M tokens | $0.03/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $0.12/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Latency | ~800ms | ~600ms |
Choose o4-mini when:
- ✓ Kundali scoring
- ✓ Compatibility analysis
- ✓ Decision systems
Fast reasoning, Cost-efficient, 200K context
Choose Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) when:
- ✓ Complex analysis
- ✓ Multi-step logic
- ✓ Verification tasks
Transparent thinking, Strong reasoning, Self-correction
Verdict: o4-mini vs Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking)
For cost efficiency, Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) wins at $0.03/1M input tokens. For speed, Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) is faster at ~600ms. o4-mini excels at Kundali scoring while Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) is better for Complex analysis. Both are available on XALEN through a single API — try them in the Playground to see which fits your workload.
Detailed Analysis
Pricing Comparison
o4-mini costs $0.03/1M input tokens and $0.12/1M output tokens. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) costs $0.03 input and $0.15 output. Both models are similarly priced. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.
Performance & Context
o4-mini has a 200K context window with ~800ms latency. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) offers 200K context at ~600ms. Both have identical context windows.
Best For
o4-mini (Reasoning) is optimized for: Kundali scoring, Compatibility analysis, Decision systems. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) (Reasoning) works best for: Complex analysis, Multi-step logic, Verification tasks.
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 o4-mini
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
model="o4-mini",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)
# Use Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking)
response_b = client.chat.completions.create(
model="claude-3-5-sonnet-thinking",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, o4-mini or Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking)?
o4-mini (Reasoning, ~200B) offers Fast reasoning. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) (Reasoning, ~500B) offers Transparent thinking. Choose o4-mini for Kundali scoring or Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) for Complex analysis.
How much does o4-mini cost vs Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking)?
o4-mini: $0.03/1M input, $0.12/1M output. Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking): $0.03/1M input, $0.15/1M 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 o4-mini and Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Thinking) 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.