What is a model?
A model refers to a version of an AI system, each with its own capabilities, behavior, and strengths depending on how it was trained.
What is GPT-4o?
GPT-4o is a highly capable model that can interface with multiple modalities such as text, image, and audio input. GPT-4o is available to Free, Plus, Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans.
What is GPT-4.1 mini?
GPT-4.1 mini is a fast, capable, and efficient small model and excels in instruction-following, coding, and overall intelligence. GPT-4.1 mini is available in the model picker under "more models" for paid users, and will serve as the fallback model for free users once they reach their GPT-4o usage limits.
Which model should I use?
Choosing a model depends on your use case. Here is a brief overview of the differences between GPT-4o and GPT-4.1 mini:
GPT-4o
Great model for most tasks.
128k token context length.
Text and image input/output.*
Audio input/output.**
GPT-4.1 mini
Faster for everyday tasks.
128k token context length.
Text and image input/output.*
Audio input/output.**
Does not have access to advanced tools that GPT-4o has (data analysis, file uploads, vision)
* Read this article for more information about image generation.
** Read this article for more information about voice mode.
ChatGPT Free plan
GPT‑4o: Limited access based on overall ChatGPT demand.
GPT‑4.1‑mini: Unlimited access.
Free plan users can use GPT-4o a limited number of times within a five hour window. ChatGPT will inform you once you’ve reached the message limit but you can continue your conversation using GPT-4.1 mini or by upgrading to Plus or Pro plans.
Free users receive limited access to messages using advanced tools through GPT-4o, such as:
Data analysis
File uploads
Search
Vision
Deep research
Free users can upgrade to Plus or Pro at any time by visiting our pricing page.
ChatGPT Plus
GPT‑4o: Up to 5x the Free plan access. Visit our pricing page to learn more.
GPT‑4.1‑mini: Unlimited access.
ChatGPT Pro
GPT‑4o : Unlimited access.
GPT‑4.1‑mini: Unlimited access.
ChatGPT Team
GPT‑4o : Unlimited access, with generous access to advanced models—plus the flexibility to add credits as needed.
GPT‑4.1‑mini: Unlimited access.
All paid tiers share the same unlimited access to the “mini” models; only the per‑window caps on GPT‑4o differ. Unused messages in any tier do not roll over.
ChatGPT Enterprise
The ChatGPT Enterprise plan is designed specifically to meet the needs of large enterprises: ChatGPT Enterprise offers enterprise-grade security and privacy, longer context windows for processing larger inputs, unlimited, high speed access to advanced tools like data analysis, and more.
If you'd like to purchase ChatGPT Enterprise for your organization, please contact our sales team.
API Support
GPT-4o and GPT-4.1 mini are available in the OpenAI API. You can also try out the models with the Playground. To gain API access to both models you must be on at least usage tier 1.