comparison
Grok 4.20 vs GPT-5.4 nano
Token pricing, context window and real monthly cost, side by side. GPT-5.4 nano is the cheaper of the two for a typical workload — about 3.4× less.
Positioned by published specs — size, context and modality — not measured performance; a smaller model can sometimes outperform a larger one on your task.
Grok 4.20 (Flagship) is a much larger technical class than GPT-5.4 nano (Nano). The cheaper model only wins if it can actually do your task; on anything demanding these aren't interchangeable.
| metric | Grok 4.20 | GPT-5.4 nano |
|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M | $1.25 | $0.20 |
| Output / 1M | $2.50 | $1.25 |
| Context | 2M | 400K |
| Technical class | Flagship | Nano |
| Cost @ typical workload | $625/mo | $185/mo |
| Modality | text + image | text + image |
| Price source | list | list |
| Provider | xAI | OpenAI |
Snapshot . Cost uses a typical workload; tune it in the calculator. How we measure →
Which should you pick?
On a typical workload, GPT-5.4 nano costs $185/mo against Grok 4.20's $625/mo — roughly 3.4× cheaper. But the ranking depends on your output-to-input ratio: output is the pricier direction for both, so an output-heavy job (code generation, long answers) widens the gap while an input-heavy one (summarization, retrieval) narrows it. If you need to fit more in a single prompt, Grok 4.20 has the larger 2M-token window (~3,000 pages). By technical class (size and context, not measured capability), Grok 4.20 is a Flagship and GPT-5.4 nano a Nano — so the lower price partly reflects a smaller class, not just a discount.
These are list and routed market prices, not measured outcomes. Two models at the same rate can still cost different amounts to finish the same task, because verbose or reasoning-heavy models emit more tokens. That gap is exactly what measured cost-per-task captures. The technical-class read above is likewise spec-based — size, context and modality, not measured performance — so a smaller model can still outperform a larger one on your specific task.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grok 4.20 or GPT-5.4 nano cheaper?
For a typical workload (1,500 input + 500 output tokens × 200,000 requests/month), GPT-5.4 nano costs $185/mo versus $625/mo for Grok 4.20 — about 3.4× less. Because output is priced higher than input, the winner can flip if your workload writes much more or less than this; check your own numbers in the calculator.
What's the main difference between Grok 4.20 and GPT-5.4 nano?
On price, Grok 4.20 is $1.25/$2.50 per 1M (in/out) and GPT-5.4 nano is $0.20/$1.25. By technical class (size & context) it's Flagship (Grok 4.20) versus Nano (GPT-5.4 nano). Grok 4.20 has the larger context window at 2M tokens.
Is GPT-5.4 nano in the same class as Grok 4.20?
No. By size & context, GPT-5.4 nano is a Nano and Grok 4.20 is a Flagship — 3 classes apart, so they're not drop-in substitutes. This is a spec comparison (size, context, modality), not a measured-performance one; a smaller model can still win on a task it's suited to.
Why is GPT-5.4 nano so much cheaper than Grok 4.20?
GPT-5.4 nano has a much lower per-token rate — $1.25/1M output versus $2.50, and it's a smaller technical class (Nano vs Flagship). The headline rate isn't the whole story, though: a verbose model can cost more to finish a task than its rate implies — that's what measured cost-per-task captures.
Which handles longer prompts, Grok 4.20 or GPT-5.4 nano?
Grok 4.20 — its 2M-token context window (~3,000 pages of text) is the larger of the two, by roughly 5×.
More comparisons
- GPT-5.5 vs GPT-5.4 nano
- GPT-5.4 vs GPT-5.4 nano
- GPT-5.4 mini vs GPT-5.4 nano
- GPT-5.4 mini vs Grok 4.20
- GPT-5.4 nano vs gpt-oss-120b
- Claude Haiku 4.5 vs GPT-5.4 nano
Related
- Grok 4.20 and GPT-5.4 nano — full specs and price history.
- API cost calculator — compare on your own workload.
- All comparisons — the full head-to-head index.