What is the difference between OpenAI GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini?

Both are OpenAI models but optimised for different use cases:

| Feature | GPT-4o | GPT-4o-mini |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | Highest | Good (comparable to GPT-3.5) |
| Speed | Fast | Very fast |
| Cost (input) | $2.50/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Cost (output) | $10/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens |
| Context window | 128K tokens | 128K tokens |
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Complex reasoning, coding | Simple tasks, high volume |

**Cost comparison for 1 million API calls (avg 500 tokens each):**
- GPT-4o: ~$6,250
- GPT-4o-mini: ~$375

**When to use GPT-4o-mini:**
- Classification tasks
- Simple Q&A
- Data extraction
- High-volume production apps where cost matters

**Use GPT-4o for:** complex reasoning, code generation, multi-step analysis