Provider Comparison

GPT-4 vs GPT-5: OpenAI Model Generation Comparison

Compare GPT-4 vs GPT-5. Reasoning, capabilities, pricing, and when to upgrade.

Reviewed by Michael Kerkhoff, as of

Definition
GPT-5 represents OpenAI's next-generation model with significant improvements over GPT-4 in reasoning, multimodal understanding, and agentic capabilities. GPT-4 remains available as a cost-effective option for many applications.
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Provider Comparison
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GPT-4GPT-5

Detailed Comparison

A side-by-side analysis of key factors to help you make the right choice.

GPT-4 vs GPT-5
FactorGPT-4GPT-5
ReasoningGood reasoning, sometimes inconsistent on hard problemsMajor leap — built-in chain-of-thought, stronger logic Winner
Coding~50% SWE-bench, decent coding70%+ SWE-bench, much better code generation Winner
MultimodalVision input, basic audioNative multimodal: video, audio, images, documents Winner
PricingLower cost, well-established WinnerPremium pricing, 2-3x GPT-4 cost
ReliabilityBattle-tested, well-understood behavior WinnerNewer, still being refined
Total Score · 0 ties2 / 53 / 5

Key Statistics

Real data from verified industry sources to support your decision.

  • GPT-5 shows 30%+ improvement on MMLU benchmark — OpenAI (2025)
  • GPT-4: $10-30/MTok vs GPT-5: $15-75/MTok output — OpenAI pricing (2025)
  • GPT-5 supports native tool use with 95%+ success rate — OpenAI benchmarks (2025)

All statistics come from verified third-party sources. Source, year, and direct link are shown on each metric.

When to Choose Each Option

Clear guidance based on your specific situation and needs.

Our Recommendation

GPT-5 is substantially more capable for reasoning, coding, and complex tasks. GPT-4 remains sufficient for simpler applications and is more cost-effective. Upgrade to GPT-5 for tasks requiring advanced reasoning; keep GPT-4 for cost-sensitive, simpler workloads.

Choose GPT-4 when...
  • You need advanced reasoning capabilities.
  • You work on complex tasks.
  • You want the latest AI advancements.
Choose GPT-5 when...
  • You require cost-effective solutions.
  • You work on simpler applications.
  • You prefer proven technologies.

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