o3 Mini alternatives
Best o3 Mini alternatives
10 models that can stand in for o3 Mini, ranked by benchmark score, with what each one does better.
Current Model
o3 Mini
- Input / 1M
- $1.10
- Output / 1M
- $4.40
- Context
- 200K
- Intelligence
- 12.5
Quick picks
The best alternative depends on what you need
Why people switch away from o3 Mini, and the model that fits each reason best.
Ranked
Top o3 Mini alternatives
Each model is scored against o3 Mini. Green means better, red means worse.
| Model | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Context | Intelligence | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
o3 Mini OpenAI | Input / 1M$1.10 | Output / 1M$4.40 | Context200K | Intelligence12.5 | Reference model |
| Input / 1M$1-9% | Output / 1M$5+14% | Context200K | Intelligence16.9+35% | Compare | |
Why switch:Higher intelligence scoreAccepts imageNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$1.10 | Output / 1M$4.40 | Context200K | Intelligence16.7+34% | Compare | |
Why switch:Higher intelligence scoreAccepts imageNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.30-73% | Output / 1M$2.50-43% | Context1.05M+424% | Intelligence15.5+24% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.8x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreLarger 1.05M contextAccepts image and audio and videoNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.50-55% | Output / 1M$2.15-51% | Context164K-18% | Intelligence13.1+5% | Compare | |
Why switch:2.0x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.60-45% | Output / 1M$2.20-50% | Context131K-34% | Intelligence12.8+2% | Compare | |
Why switch:2x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.45-59% | Output / 1M$3.50-20% | Context128K-36% | Intelligence12.7+2% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.3x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.57-48% | Output / 1M$2.30-48% | Context131K-34% | Intelligence12.7+2% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.9x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$2+82% | Output / 1M$8+82% | Context1.05M+424% | Intelligence12.7+2% | Compare | |
Why switch:Higher intelligence scoreLarger 1.05M contextAccepts imageNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$1.10 | Output / 1M$4.40 | Context200K | Intelligence11-12% | Compare | |
Why switch:Newer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.40-64% | Output / 1M$1.60-64% | Context1.05M+424% | Intelligence10.2-18% | Compare | |
Why switch:2.8x cheaper outputLarger 1.05M contextAccepts imageNewer release | |||||
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to o3 Mini?
Claude Haiku 4.5 from Anthropic ranks first, based on independent benchmark scores. It costs $5 per 1M output tokens, compared with $4.40 for o3 Mini.
Is there a cheaper alternative to o3 Mini?
Yes. GPT-4.1 Mini charges $1.60 per 1M output tokens, versus $4.40 for o3 Mini.
Can I try o3 Mini and its alternatives at the same time?
Yes. Shortcut Chat sends one prompt to several models at once, so you can compare o3 Mini with any of these alternatives on your own tasks.
Not sure which to pick? Try them all.
Send one prompt to o3 Mini and its alternatives at the same time, and keep the answer you like best.