ZMIME
Comparison · 2 models · Updated Oct 4, 2026

GPT-5.4 vs GPT-5.3 Codex

Too close to call on our weighted score (GPT-5.4 65, GPT-5.3 Codex 64). The right pick depends on what you value most.

  1. OpenAI

    GPT-5.4

    Released Mar 5, 2026

    65/100
    • ECI156.9
    • Price$2.50 / $15.00
    • Context1.05M
  2. OpenAI

    GPT-5.3 Codex

    Released Feb 5, 2026

    64/100
    • ECI156.8
    • Price$1.75 / $14.00
    • Context400K
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01 — Verdict

Too close to call

It is close. Our weighted score puts them within a point (GPT-5.4 65/100, GPT-5.3 Codex 64/100), so choose by what matters most for your work: GPT-5.4 for raw capability and GPT-5.3 Codex on price. The score weighs capability 50%, price 25%, inputs & features 15%, context window 10%.

  • CapabilityGPT-5.4Capabilities Index (ECI): GPT-5.4 156.9 · GPT-5.3 Codex 156.8
  • Lowest priceGPT-5.3 CodexGPT-5.3 Codex $4.81 · GPT-5.4 $5.63 per 1M tokens (3:1 blend)
  • Longest contextGPT-5.4GPT-5.4 1,050,000 · GPT-5.3 Codex 400,000 tokens
  • Widest inputsSame inputsGPT-5.4: Text, Images, PDFs · GPT-5.3 Codex: Text, Images, PDFs
  • Self-hostingNo open weightsBoth are available only through APIs
How the score is built
MeasureWeightGPT-5.4GPT-5.3 Codex
CapabilityCapabilities Index (ECI)50%8787
Price25%1418
Inputs & features15%8080
Context window10%6144
Overall100%65/10064/100
02 — Side by side

Every spec in one table

Highlighted cells lead their row. Dashes mean the data is not published.

GPT-5.4 vs GPT-5.3 Codex specifications side by side
SpecificationGPT-5.4OpenAIGPT-5.3 CodexOpenAI
Capability
Capabilities Index (ECI)156.9 (best)156.8
ECI rank#16 of 148 (best)#18 of 148
GPQA DiamondGraduate-level science questions93.3%—
FrontierMath Tiers 1–3Research-level mathematics78.6%—
OTIS Mock AIME 2024–2025Competition mathematics97.8%—
SWE-bench VerifiedFixing real GitHub issues76.9% (best)74.8%
SimpleQA VerifiedShort factual questions45.1%—
Price per million tokens
Input$2.50$1.75 (best)
Output$15.00$14.00 (best)
Cached input$0.25$0.175 (best)
Blended (3:1)$5.63$4.81 (best)
Long-context rateOver 272K: $5.00 / $22.50Same rate
Price sourceOfficial OpenAI APIOfficial OpenAI API
Limits
Context window1,050,000 tokens (best)400,000 tokens
Max output128,000 tokens128,000 tokens
Inputs and features
TextYesYes
ImagesYesYes
PDFsYesYes
AudioNoNo
VideoNoNo
ReasoningYeslow · medium · high · xhighYeslow · medium · high · xhigh
Tool callingYesYes
Structured outputYesYes
Availability
WeightsProprietaryProprietary
API model IDgpt-5.4gpt-5.3-codex
API providers36 (best)19
ReleasedMar 5, 2026Feb 5, 2026
Knowledge cutoffAug 31, 2025Aug 31, 2025
03 — Cost

What would a month cost?

Enter your expected volume in millions of tokens. List prices only; caching and batch discounts would lower these.

  • GPT-5.4$55.00
  • GPT-5.3 Codex$45.50
04 — Questions

Which should you choose?

Which is better: GPT-5.4 or GPT-5.3 Codex?

It is close. Our weighted score puts them within a point (GPT-5.4 65/100, GPT-5.3 Codex 64/100), so choose by what matters most for your work: GPT-5.4 for raw capability and GPT-5.3 Codex on price. The score weighs capability 50%, price 25%, inputs & features 15%, context window 10%.

Which is cheaper, GPT-5.4 or GPT-5.3 Codex?

GPT-5.3 Codex is cheaper at $1.75 input / $14.00 output per million tokens (official OpenAI API price). GPT-5.4 costs $2.50 input / $15.00 output per million tokens (official OpenAI API price). At a typical mix of three input tokens to one output token, that is $4.81 per million tokens for GPT-5.3 Codex versus $5.63 for GPT-5.4 (1.2× as much).

Which scores higher on benchmarks?

GPT-5.4 scores higher on the Capabilities Index (ECI): GPT-5.4 156.9 (#16 of 148) and GPT-5.3 Codex 156.8 (#18 of 148). The confidence ranges of the top two overlap (154.9–159.1 vs 153.5–160.8), so treat the gap as small. On individual benchmarks: SWE-bench Verified — GPT-5.4 76.9%, GPT-5.3 Codex 74.8%.

Which is better for coding?

GPT-5.4 resolves more real GitHub issues on SWE-bench Verified: GPT-5.4 76.9% and GPT-5.3 Codex 74.8%. Both support tool calling for agent workflows.

Which has the bigger context window?

GPT-5.4 has the largest context window at 1,050,000 tokens, against 400,000 for GPT-5.3 Codex. Maximum output per response: GPT-5.4 up to 128,000, GPT-5.3 Codex up to 128,000 tokens.

Which can read images, PDFs, audio or video?

GPT-5.4 accepts text, images and PDFs; GPT-5.3 Codex accepts text, images and PDFs. They handle the same number of input types.

Are any of these open source?

No. GPT-5.4 and GPT-5.3 Codex are proprietary and only available through APIs and apps.

Which is newer?

GPT-5.4 is the newest, released Mar 5, 2026. GPT-5.3 Codex came out Feb 5, 2026. Knowledge cutoff: GPT-5.4 Aug 31, 2025, GPT-5.3 Codex Aug 31, 2025.

How do you decide the winner?

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.