GPT-4.1 mini API Pricing: Cheapest OpenAI 1M Context at $0.40/M Tokens

Q: How much does GPT-4.1 mini cost?

GPT-4.1 mini costs $0.40 per million input tokens and $1.60 per million output tokens. It's the cheapest 1M-context model available on OpenAI's API — 2x cheaper than GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20) on input but with a slightly higher output price.

Q: What is the context window of GPT-4.1 mini?

GPT-4.1 mini has a 1M token context window — the largest available on OpenAI's API. This can process approximately 750,000 words or 2,500 pages of text in a single request, making it ideal for long document analysis and large codebase processing.

GPT-4.1 mini offers OpenAI's largest context window (1M tokens) at budget prices — ideal for long document analysis and large codebase processing.

Updated Aug 8, 2026 · 93 models tracked across 11 providers

⚠️ Deprecation Notice: GPT-4.1 mini is scheduled for shutdown on October 23, 2026. It will be replaced by GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20, 1.05M context). For new projects, start with GPT-5.6 Luna. Plan to migrate existing integrations before October 2026.

TL;DR

Price: $0.40/M input, $1.60/M output — cheapest 1M-context model on OpenAI
Context: 1M tokens — processes ~750,000 words or 2,500 pages in a single request
Vision: No — text-only input. For 1M context + vision, use Gemini 3.1 Flash ($0.50/$3.00)
Provider: OpenAI API (platform.openai.com)
Shutdown: October 23, 2026 — replaced by GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20)
Best for: Long document analysis, large codebase processing, multi-document comparison

GPT-4.1 mini Pricing Breakdown

At $0.40 per million input tokens and $1.60 per million output tokens, GPT-4.1 mini is the most affordable way to process 1M-token documents on OpenAI's API:

Monthly Volume	Input Cost	Output Cost	Total Cost
1M tokens	$0.40	$1.60	$2.00
10M tokens	$4.00	$16.00	$20.00
100M tokens	$40.00	$160.00	$200.00
1B tokens	$400.00	$1,600.00	$2,000.00

At 100M tokens/month, GPT-4.1 mini costs $200. The same volume on GPT-5.4 ($2.50/$15) would cost $1,800 — making GPT-4.1 mini 9x cheaper for 1M-context workloads.

How GPT-4.1 mini Compares to Other 1M-Context Models

Model	Input $/M	Output $/M	Context	Vision	Provider
Qwen 3.7 Flash	$0.03	$0.13	1M	✅	Alibaba
DeepSeek V4 Flash	$0.14	$0.28	1M	❌	DeepSeek
GPT-5.6 Luna	$0.20	$1.20	1.05M	❌	OpenAI
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite	$0.25	$1.50	1M	✅	Google
GPT-4.1 mini	$0.40	$1.60	1M	❌	OpenAI
GPT-4.1	$2.00	$8.00	1M	❌	OpenAI
Claude Sonnet 5	$2.00	$10.00	1M	✅	Anthropic

GPT-4.1 mini is OpenAI's cheapest 1M-context model, but GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20) is even cheaper and replaces it in October 2026. For new projects, start with Luna. For existing GPT-4.1 mini integrations, plan your migration now.

Migration Guide: GPT-4.1 mini → GPT-5.6 Luna

GPT-4.1 mini shuts down October 23, 2026. Here's how GPT-5.6 Luna compares as the replacement:

Feature	GPT-4.1 mini	GPT-5.6 Luna
Input price	$0.40/M	$0.20/M (50% cheaper)
Output price	$1.60/M	$1.20/M (25% cheaper)
Context window	1M	1.05M
Reasoning	Good	Better (newer generation)
Function calling	✅	✅
Structured outputs	✅	✅
Shutdown date	Oct 23, 2026	No announced EOL

Migration is straightforward: Change the model ID from gpt-4.1-mini to gpt-5.6-luna. The API interface is identical. You'll get 50% cheaper input, 25% cheaper output, slightly more context, and better reasoning — with no shutdown date.

When to Use GPT-4.1 mini

📚 Long Document Analysis

Legal contracts, research papers, technical documentation. 1M context processes ~2,500 pages in a single request.

💻 Large Codebase Processing

Code review, refactoring, documentation generation across entire repositories. 1M context handles most codebases.

📄 Multi-Document Comparison

Compare contracts, analyze multiple reports, or synthesize information across many documents simultaneously.

🔬 Research Synthesis

Literature review, meta-analysis, and research paper synthesis. Process dozens of papers in a single context.

📊 Data Pipeline Processing

ETL-style processing of large text datasets. 1M context reduces the need for chunking and reassembly.

🤖 Long Conversations

Customer support with extensive history, therapy bots, coaching assistants. Maintain context across very long interactions.

When NOT to Use GPT-4.1 mini

GPT-4.1 mini is optimized for 1M context at budget prices. Consider alternatives when:

Documents under 400K tokens: GPT-5.4 nano ($0.20/$1.25) is 2x cheaper on input with similar quality
You need vision: Gemini 3.1 Flash ($0.50/$3.00, 1M) or Qwen 3.7 Flash ($0.03/$0.13, 1M) support image input
Complex reasoning: GPT-5.4 ($2.50/$15) or Claude Sonnet 5 ($2/$10) offer better reasoning for complex tasks
Maximum cost savings: Qwen 3.7 Flash ($0.03/$0.13, 1M) is 13x cheaper on input — though via Alibaba's API
New project starting now: Use GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20, 1.05M) instead — it's the replacement and 50% cheaper on input

Real-World Cost Scenario

Let's say you're building a legal document analysis system that processes 5,000 contracts per month, with an average of 50,000 input tokens and 5,000 output tokens per contract:

Model	Monthly Input	Monthly Output	Total
Qwen 3.7 Flash	$7.50	$3.25	$10.75
GPT-5.6 Luna	$50	$30	$80
GPT-4.1 mini	$100	$40	$140
GPT-4.1	$500	$200	$700
Claude Sonnet 5	$500	$250	$750
GPT-5.4	$625	$375	$1,000

GPT-4.1 mini costs $140/month for 5,000 contract analyses — 5x cheaper than GPT-4.1 or Claude Sonnet 5. But GPT-5.6 Luna is even cheaper at $80/month, making it the better choice for new deployments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does GPT-4.1 mini cost?

$0.40 per million input tokens and $1.60 per million output tokens. It's the cheapest 1M-context model available on OpenAI's API — 2x cheaper than GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20) on input but with a slightly higher output price.

What is the context window of GPT-4.1 mini?

1M tokens — the largest available on OpenAI's API. This can process approximately 750,000 words or 2,500 pages of text in a single request, making it ideal for long document analysis and large codebase processing.

Is GPT-4.1 mini being deprecated?

Yes. GPT-4.1 mini is scheduled for shutdown on October 23, 2026. It will be replaced by GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20), which offers 50% cheaper input pricing and a slightly larger 1.05M context window. Plan to migrate before October 2026.

GPT-4.1 mini vs GPT-5.6 Luna — which should I use?

For new projects, use GPT-5.6 Luna ($0.20/$1.20) — it's cheaper on input, has a slightly larger context (1.05M vs 1M), and is the newer generation with better reasoning. GPT-4.1 mini is only relevant if you have existing integrations that haven't migrated yet.

What can GPT-4.1 mini be used for?

Long document analysis, large codebase processing, multi-document comparison, legal contract review, research paper synthesis, and any workload that needs 1M context at budget prices. For tasks under 400K tokens, GPT-5.4 nano ($0.20/$1.25) is cheaper.

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