GPT-5 mini vs Claude Haiku 4.5
OpenAI's budget model against Anthropic's lightweight. GPT-5 mini is 75% cheaper on input and 60% cheaper on output — but Haiku offers Anthropic's superior instruction following. See which fits your workload.
Pricing data verified: 2026-06-20
| Specification | GPT-5 mini (OpenAI) | Claude Haiku 4.5 (Anthropic) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price (per 1M tokens) | $0.25 | $1.00 |
| Output Price (per 1M tokens) | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| Context Window | 272K | 200K |
| Tier | Budget | Budget |
| Provider | OpenAI | Anthropic |
Calculate Your Exact Costs
See how the costs stack up for your specific usage pattern.
Other Models to Consider
Which Model for Which Use Case?
Cost-Sensitive High Volume
GPT-5 mini's $0.25/M input and $2.00/M output make it significantly cheaper for high-volume tasks. At 1M requests/day, you'd save $225/mo vs Haiku.
Complex Instruction Following
Claude Haiku 4.5 excels at following complex, multi-step instructions. If your prompts are nuanced and require careful adherence, Haiku's training gives it an edge.
OpenAI Ecosystem
If you're already on OpenAI's platform, GPT-5 mini integrates with Assistants API, function calling, and fine-tuning. Switching to Anthropic means rewriting integrations.
Safety & Alignment
Anthropic's Constitutional AI approach means Haiku 4.5 is designed with safety and alignment in mind. For applications where output safety matters, Haiku is the safer choice.
Comparing Budget Models?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is GPT-5 mini cheaper than Claude Haiku 4.5?
Yes. GPT-5 mini costs $0.25/M input and $2.00/M output — 75% cheaper on input and 60% cheaper on output than Claude Haiku 4.5's $1.00/M input and $5.00/M output.
When would I choose Claude Haiku 4.5 over GPT-5 mini?
Choose Claude Haiku 4.5 if you need Anthropic's superior instruction following, better at following complex prompts, or prefer Anthropic's API ecosystem. Haiku also has 200K context vs GPT-5 mini's 272K.
Which model has a better context window?
GPT-5 mini has a 272K token context window — 36% larger than Claude Haiku 4.5's 200K. For longer documents or extended conversations, GPT-5 mini handles more context.
Is Claude Haiku 4.5 worth the premium over GPT-5 mini?
For many tasks, GPT-5 mini offers better value at 60-75% lower cost. Claude Haiku 4.5 may be worth the premium for tasks requiring Anthropic's specific instruction-following capabilities or when you're already invested in the Anthropic ecosystem.