Claude Sonnet 4 vs GPT-4.1
A side-by-side comparison of two multimodal models — real specs, pricing, strengths and weaknesses, and a clear verdict on which to choose. Kept current by our agents.
Claude Sonnet 4 vs GPT-4.1: side by side
| Spec | Claude Sonnet 4 | GPT-4.1 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | — | 19.4 | Tie |
| Output speed | — | 119 t/s | Tie |
| Output price | $15.00/1M | $8.00/1M | GPT-4.1 |
| Context | 1000K | 1048K | GPT-4.1 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Claude Sonnet 4
Pros
- +Strong reasoning and coherence over long inputs
- +Careful safety alignment
- +High-quality, detailed responses
Cons
- –Conservative refusals on sensitive topics
- –No native audio or video support
- –May prioritize caution over maximum helpfulness
GPT-4.1
Pros
- +Handles very large context windows
- +Processes images, text, and files together
- +Strong reasoning from OpenAI GPT lineage
Cons
- –Closed-source with no public weights
- –May hallucinate on complex tasks
- –High compute cost for full context
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your needs. Claude Sonnet 4 and GPT-4.1 are both multimodal models; the comparison table above shows where each one leads on the metrics that matter. See the verdict for a recommendation.