API cost decision in 10 seconds

🔥GPT-5.4 vs GPT-5.2-Codex

Pick GPT-5.2-Codex for lower cost; pick GPT-5.4 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-5.2-Codex for lower cost; pick GPT-5.4 only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5.2-Codex is estimated at $8.75 vs $10 for GPT-5.4, saving $1.25 (12.5% lower).

Cost-first pickGPT-5.2-Codex
Context-first pickGPT-5.4
Sample savings$1.2512.5%
10x traffic gap$12.5

GPT-5.4 has more context, but GPT-5.2-Codex saves $1.25 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $12.5. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

GPT-5.2-Codex stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGPT-5.4GPT-5.2-Codex
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGPT-5.2-Codex$20$15.75
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGPT-5.2-Codex$17.5$15.75
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGPT-5.2-Codex$77.5$71.75
Cheaper input GPT-5.2-Codex $2.5 vs $1.75 / 1M

GPT-5.2-Codex is $0.75 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).

Cheaper output GPT-5.2-Codex $15 vs $14 / 1M

GPT-5.2-Codex is $1 cheaper per 1M output tokens (6.7% lower; 1.07x difference).

Larger context GPT-5.4 1.05M vs 400K

GPT-5.4 has 650K more context (2.62x larger).

Sample workload GPT-5.2-Codex $10 vs $8.75

GPT-5.2-Codex is $1.25 cheaper on the standard workload (12.5% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
GPT-5.4 Calculating… Estimated API cost
GPT-5.2-Codex 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-5.2-Codex has the lower input price; GPT-5.2-Codex has the lower output price; GPT-5.4 offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GPT-5.2-Codex is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $10 for GPT-5.4 and $8.75 for GPT-5.2-Codex.

Best Fit

Choose GPT-5.4 when you care most about larger context window.

Choose GPT-5.2-Codex 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-5.2-Codex is estimated at $8.75 vs $10 for GPT-5.4, saving $1.25 (12.5% lower).
  • GPT-5.2-Codex is $1.25 cheaper on the standard workload (12.5% lower).
  • GPT-5.2-Codex is $0.75 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).
  • GPT-5.2-Codex is $1 cheaper per 1M output tokens (6.7% lower; 1.07x difference).
  • GPT-5.4 has 650K more context (2.62x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
Feature🔥GPT-5.4
(OpenAI)		GPT-5.2-Codex
(OpenAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$2.5$1.75
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$15$14
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$10$8.75
Context Window1.05M400K
Release Date
Popularity#19

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGPT-5.2-CodexOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5.2-Codex is estimated at $8.75 vs $10 for GPT-5.4, saving $1.25 (12.5% lower).
High-volume input processingGPT-5.2-CodexLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGPT-5.2-CodexLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGPT-5.4A 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 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace GPT-5.4 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace GPT-5.4 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace GPT-5.4 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

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OpenAI catalog

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GPT-5.4

GPT-5.4 is OpenAI’s latest frontier model, unifying the Codex and GPT lines into a single system. It features a 1M+ token context window (922K input, 128K output) with support for...

GPT-5.2-Codex

GPT-5.2-Codex is an upgraded version of GPT-5.1-Codex optimized for software engineering and coding workflows. It is designed for both interactive development sessions and long, independent execution of complex engineering tasks....