API cost decision in 10 seconds

GPT-5.4 Nano vs Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15

Pick GPT-5.4 Nano for lower cost; pick Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 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-5.4 Nano for lower cost; pick Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5.4 Nano is estimated at $0.82 vs $1.04 for Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15, saving $0.22 (20.7% lower).

Cost-first pickGPT-5.4 Nano
Context-first pickQwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15
Sample savings$0.2220.7%
10x traffic gap$2.15

Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 has more context, but GPT-5.4 Nano saves $0.22 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $2.15. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

GPT-5.4 Nano stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGPT-5.4 NanoQwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGPT-5.4 Nano$1.62$2.08
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGPT-5.4 Nano$1.45$1.82
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGPT-5.4 Nano$6.45$8.06
Cheaper input GPT-5.4 Nano $0.2 vs $0.26 / 1M

GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.06 cheaper per 1M input tokens (23.1% lower; 1.3x difference).

Cheaper output GPT-5.4 Nano $1.25 vs $1.56 / 1M

GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.31 cheaper per 1M output tokens (19.9% lower; 1.25x difference).

Larger context Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 400K vs 1M

Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 has 600K more context (2.5x larger).

Sample workload GPT-5.4 Nano $0.82 vs $1.04

GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.22 cheaper on the standard workload (20.7% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
GPT-5.4 Nano Calculating… Estimated API cost
Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 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-5.4 Nano has the lower input price; GPT-5.4 Nano has the lower output price; Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GPT-5.4 Nano is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.82 for GPT-5.4 Nano and $1.04 for Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15.

Best Fit

Choose GPT-5.4 Nano when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Choose Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 when you care most about larger context window.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5.4 Nano is estimated at $0.82 vs $1.04 for Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15, saving $0.22 (20.7% lower).
  • GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.22 cheaper on the standard workload (20.7% lower).
  • GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.06 cheaper per 1M input tokens (23.1% lower; 1.3x difference).
  • GPT-5.4 Nano is $0.31 cheaper per 1M output tokens (19.9% lower; 1.25x difference).
  • Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15 has 600K more context (2.5x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureGPT-5.4 Nano
(OpenAI)
Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15
(Qwen)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M
$0.2$0.26
Completion Price
per 1M tokens
$1.25$1.56
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output
$0.82$1.04
Context Window400K1M
Release Date

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGPT-5.4 NanoOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5.4 Nano is estimated at $0.82 vs $1.04 for Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15, saving $0.22 (20.7% lower).
High-volume input processingGPT-5.4 NanoLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGPT-5.4 NanoLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workQwen3.5 Plus 2026-02-15A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • gpt-oss-120b (free) can replace GPT-5.4 Nano when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace GPT-5.4 Nano when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace GPT-5.4 Nano when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace GPT-5.4 Nano when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
Larger context near this budget

Cheaper alternatives

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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

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OpenAI catalog

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Qwen catalog

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

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