Llama 4 Scout vs GPT-5 Mini
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.
Quick verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Llama 4 Scout if you need
- ✓Choose Llama 4 Scout if you need a 10M-token context window for long text and image sequences.
- ✓Choose Llama 4 Scout if you need open-weight access and the lowest output price at $0.3 per 1M tokens.
- ✓Choose Llama 4 Scout if you need the highest output speed of 112.48 tokens per second.
- ✓Choose Llama 4 Scout if you need strong reasoning over extremely long native multimodal inputs.
Choose GPT-5 Mini if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Mini if you need the highest intelligence index of 38.9 for complex tasks.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Mini if you need integration of text, image, and file inputs in one model.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Mini if you need efficient handling of very large contexts in multi-turn conversations.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Mini if you need a compact proprietary multimodal design from OpenAI.
Verdict
GPT-5 Mini leads decisively on intelligence (38.9 vs 13.5) while Llama 4 Scout dominates context length (10M vs 400K), speed (112.48 vs 99.84 t/s), and price ($0.3 vs $2 per 1M). Llama 4 Scout suits open-weight long-sequence multimodal work; GPT-5 Mini suits higher-intelligence tasks with file inputs and multi-turn complexity.
Llama 4 Scout vs GPT-5 Mini: side by side
| Spec | Llama 4 Scout | GPT-5 Mini | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 13.5 | 38.9 | GPT-5 Mini |
| Output speed | 112 t/s | 100 t/s | Llama 4 Scout |
| Output price | $0.30/1M | $2.00/1M | Llama 4 Scout |
| Context | 10000K | 400K | Llama 4 Scout |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Type | Open-weight | Proprietary | Tie |
| Provider | Meta | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: GPT-5 MiniGPT-5 Mini scores 38.9 on the intelligence index compared to Llama 4 Scout's 13.5. This gap indicates stronger performance on complex reasoning and multi-turn tasks. Llama 4 Scout's lower score limits its depth on nuanced problems despite its long-context strengths.
Speed and Pricing
Winner: Llama 4 ScoutLlama 4 Scout delivers 112.48 tokens per second at $0.3 per 1M tokens versus GPT-5 Mini's 99.84 t/s at $2 per 1M. The combination of higher speed and 85% lower price favors Llama 4 Scout for high-volume workloads. GPT-5 Mini's higher cost and slightly lower speed are offset only by its intelligence advantage.
Context and Modalities
Winner: Llama 4 ScoutLlama 4 Scout provides a 10M-token context window versus GPT-5 Mini's 400K, enabling far longer sequences. It supports native text and image inputs while GPT-5 Mini adds file support. Llama 4 Scout's context size gives it the edge for long multimodal documents despite fewer input types.
Accessibility
Winner: Llama 4 ScoutLlama 4 Scout is open-weight from Meta while GPT-5 Mini is proprietary from OpenAI. Open weights allow local deployment and customization not possible with the closed model. This makes Llama 4 Scout preferable when transparency or self-hosting is required.
Llama 4 Scout
Pros
- +Extremely large context window
- +Native multimodal input support
- +Strong reasoning over long inputs
Cons
- –High compute cost at maximum context
- –Limited to text and image modalities only
- –May exhibit latency on very long sequences
GPT-5 Mini
Pros
- +Handles very large contexts efficiently
- +Integrates text, image, and file inputs
- +Suitable for complex multi-turn tasks
- +Compact multimodal design
Cons
- –Reduced depth on highly complex reasoning vs full-size models
- –Performance depends on input clarity across modalities
- –May require careful prompting for nuanced outputs
Summary: Llama 4 Scout vs GPT-5 Mini
Select Llama 4 Scout for maximum context, speed, low cost, and open weights in long multimodal sequences. Select GPT-5 Mini when the highest intelligence and file-input support matter most. The choice hinges on whether raw scale and economics or intelligence index drive the use case.
Frequently asked questions
GPT-5 Mini is better on intelligence while Llama 4 Scout is better on context, speed, and price; neither is universally superior.