Comparison · prices as of 2026-07-04 · re-verified 2026-08-18
GPT-5 mini vs GPT-5 nano
On price alone, GPT-5 nano (OpenAI) runs about 80% cheaper than GPT-5 mini for a typical chat workload (2K input + 500 output tokens, 1,000 requests/day). Whether that's the right trade depends on the capability gap — the breakdown below shows where each one wins.
Price per million tokens
| Spec | GPT-5 mini | GPT-5 nano |
|---|---|---|
| Input / MTok | $0.25 | $0.05 |
| Output / MTok | $2 | $0.40 |
| Context window | 400K | 400K |
| Max output | 128K | 128K |
| Class | workhorse | fast / lightweight |
Estimated monthly cost by workload
Same models, three realistic usage levels. The gap between them scales with volume, so the right pick can change as you grow.
| Workload | GPT-5 mini | GPT-5 nano | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light — chatbot 0.5K in / 0.2K out · 200 req/day | $3.15 | $0.63 | GPT-5 nano |
| Typical — assistant 2K in / 0.5K out · 1K req/day | $45.00 | $9.00 | GPT-5 nano |
| Heavy — RAG / agent 8K in / 2K out · 5K req/day | $900 | $180 | GPT-5 nano |
Which should you pick?
- Cheapest overall: GPT-5 nano — about 80% less per month on a typical assistant workload.
- GPT-5 nano is cheaper on both input and output, so it stays cheaper whether your workload is prompt-heavy or generation-heavy.
- Different classes: GPT-5 mini is a workhorse model, GPT-5 nano is a fast / lightweight model — expect GPT-5 mini to be stronger on hard reasoning and GPT-5 nano to be faster and cheaper to run.
Frequently asked questions
Is GPT-5 mini or GPT-5 nano cheaper?
GPT-5 nano is cheaper — roughly 80% less per month on a typical assistant workload (2K input + 500 output tokens, 1,000 requests/day).
What do GPT-5 mini and GPT-5 nano cost per million tokens?
GPT-5 mini is $0.25 per million input tokens and $2 per million output. GPT-5 nano is $0.05 input and $0.40 output. Prices are first-party API list rates as of 2026-07-04.
Which has the larger context window, GPT-5 mini or GPT-5 nano?
Both handle up to 400K tokens of context.
When should I choose GPT-5 mini over GPT-5 nano?
Choose GPT-5 mini when you need the extra capability of its workhorse class; drop to GPT-5 nano when speed and cost matter more than peak quality.
Related comparisons
Sources: OpenAI pricing · OpenAI pricing. Run your own numbers in the cost calculator.