GPT-4.1 mini vs QwQ 32B vs QwQ Plus

GPT-4.1 mini is the better all-round choice, scoring 64/100 against QwQ 32B (54) and QwQ Plus (52). It leads on inputs & features and context window. The score weighs capability 50%, price 25%, inputs & features 15%, context window 10%. Capability uses the average of shared benchmarks (GPQA Diamond), because QwQ Plus has no Capabilities Index score yet.

GPT-4.1 mini is cheaper at $0.40 input / $1.60 output per million tokens (official OpenAI API price). QwQ 32B costs $0.66 input / $1.00 output per million tokens (median across 1 API provider); QwQ Plus costs $0.80 input / $2.40 output per million tokens (official Alibaba API price). At a typical mix of three input tokens to one output token, that is $0.70 per million tokens for GPT-4.1 mini versus $0.745 for QwQ 32B (1.1× as much) and $1.20 for QwQ Plus (1.7× as much).

Not every model here has a Capabilities Index score, so we compare the average of shared benchmarks (GPQA Diamond): GPT-4.1 mini 65.9%, QwQ Plus 65.4% and QwQ 32B 65.3%. On individual benchmarks: GPQA Diamond — GPT-4.1 mini 65.9%, QwQ Plus 65.4%, QwQ 32B 65.3%.

There are no published SWE-bench Verified results for GPT-4.1 mini, QwQ 32B and QwQ Plus yet, so there is no like-for-like coding score. On overall capability, GPT-4.1 mini leads, which tends to carry over to coding, but test on your own codebase. All three support tool calling for agent workflows.

GPT-4.1 mini has the largest context window at 1,047,576 tokens, against 131,072 for QwQ 32B and 131,072 for QwQ Plus. Maximum output per response: GPT-4.1 mini up to 32,768, QwQ 32B up to 8,192, QwQ Plus up to 8,192 tokens.

GPT-4.1 mini accepts text, images and PDFs; QwQ 32B accepts text; QwQ Plus accepts text. GPT-4.1 mini handles the widest range of inputs.

QwQ 32B publishes its weights and can be self-hosted; GPT-4.1 mini and QwQ Plus is proprietary.

GPT-4.1 mini is the newest, released Apr 14, 2025. QwQ 32B came out Mar 5, 2025; QwQ Plus came out Mar 5, 2025. Knowledge cutoff: GPT-4.1 mini Apr 2024, QwQ 32B Apr 2024, QwQ Plus Apr 2024.

Each model gets a 0–100 score on capability (50%, independent benchmark results); price (25%, blended price per million tokens (3 input : 1 output), log scale); inputs & features (15%, image, PDF, audio and video input, tool calling, structured output and reasoning); context window (10%, maximum tokens per request, log scale). Dimensions missing for any model are dropped and the remaining weights rescaled, so every model is judged on the same evidence. Specs and prices come from public model listings and the labs’ own API pages; capability scores come from independent benchmark runs. Data updated Oct 4, 2026.