API cost decision in 10 seconds

Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview vs GPT-4.1 Mini

Pick GPT-4.1 Mini for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview only if the larger context window matters more.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick GPT-4.1 Mini for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-4.1 Mini is estimated at $1.2 vs $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, saving $6.8 (85% lower).

Cost-first pickGPT-4.1 Mini
Context-first pickGemini 3.1 Pro Preview
Sample savings$6.885%
10x traffic gap$68

Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has more context, but GPT-4.1 Mini saves $6.8 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $68. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

GPT-4.1 Mini stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGemini 3.1 Pro PreviewGPT-4.1 Mini
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGPT-4.1 Mini$16$2.8
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGPT-4.1 Mini$14$2
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGPT-4.1 Mini$62$8.4
Cheaper input GPT-4.1 Mini $2 vs $0.4 / 1M

GPT-4.1 Mini is $1.6 cheaper per 1M input tokens (80% lower; 5x difference).

Cheaper output GPT-4.1 Mini $12 vs $1.6 / 1M

GPT-4.1 Mini is $10.4 cheaper per 1M output tokens (86.7% lower; 7.5x difference).

Larger context Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 1.05M vs 1.05M

Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has 1K more context (1x larger).

Sample workload GPT-4.1 Mini $8 vs $1.2

GPT-4.1 Mini is $6.8 cheaper on the standard workload (85% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Calculating… Estimated API cost
GPT-4.1 Mini Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

GPT-4.1 Mini has the lower input price; GPT-4.1 Mini has the lower output price; Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GPT-4.1 Mini is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview and $1.2 for GPT-4.1 Mini.

Best Fit

Choose Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when you care most about larger context window.

Choose GPT-4.1 Mini when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-4.1 Mini is estimated at $1.2 vs $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, saving $6.8 (85% lower).
  • GPT-4.1 Mini is $6.8 cheaper on the standard workload (85% lower).
  • GPT-4.1 Mini is $1.6 cheaper per 1M input tokens (80% lower; 5x difference).
  • GPT-4.1 Mini is $10.4 cheaper per 1M output tokens (86.7% lower; 7.5x difference).
  • Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has 1K more context (1x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureGemini 3.1 Pro Preview
(Google)		GPT-4.1 Mini
(OpenAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$2$0.4
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$12$1.6
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$8$1.2
Context Window1.05M1.05M
Release Date
Popularity#28#51

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGPT-4.1 MiniOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-4.1 Mini is estimated at $1.2 vs $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, saving $6.8 (85% lower).
High-volume input processingGPT-4.1 MiniLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGPT-4.1 MiniLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGemini 3.1 Pro PreviewA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • Gemma 4 31B (free) can replace Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Gemma 4 26B A4B (free) can replace Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Lyria 3 Clip Preview can replace Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Lyria 3 Pro Preview can replace Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
Larger context near this budget
  • Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 sample workload cost.
  • Grok 4.20 offers 2M context with $2.5 sample workload cost.
  • Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent offers 2M context with $5 sample workload cost.
  • GPT-5.4 offers 1.05M context with $10 sample workload cost.

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.

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Google catalog

Review all tracked Google models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

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OpenAI catalog

Check other OpenAI models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.

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Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview

Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is Google’s frontier reasoning model, delivering enhanced software engineering performance, improved agentic reliability, and more efficient token usage across complex workflows. Building on the multimodal foundation...

GPT-4.1 Mini

GPT-4.1 Mini is a mid-sized model delivering performance competitive with GPT-4o at substantially lower latency and cost. It retains a 1 million token context window and scores 45.1% on hard...