GPT-5.1-Codex-Max vs GPT-5 Pro
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 GPT-5.1-Codex-Max if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Pro if you need strong integration of text, image, and file data in document-heavy workflows.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Pro if you need flexible reasoning over very large inputs across three modalities.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Pro if you need extended-context handling that includes file uploads alongside images and text.
Choose GPT-5 Pro if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-5.1-Codex-Max if you need a strong coding focus combined with text and image inputs.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.1-Codex-Max if you need complex technical workflows at $10 per million tokens.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.1-Codex-Max if you need 400k context limited to text and image at lower cost.
Verdict
GPT-5.1-Codex-Max leads on price and coding-focused technical work while GPT-5 Pro leads on file-inclusive multimodal document workflows. Both share identical 400k context and proprietary OpenAI status with unknown intelligence and speed metrics. The 12x price gap and modality differences create clear specialization rather than overall superiority.
GPT-5.1-Codex-Max vs GPT-5 Pro: side by side
| Spec | GPT-5.1-Codex-Max | GPT-5 Pro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | — | — | Tie |
| Output speed | — | — | Tie |
| Output price | $10.00/1M | $120.00/1M | GPT-5.1-Codex-Max |
| Context | 400K | 400K | Tie |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Pricing
Winner: GPT-5.1-Codex-MaxGPT-5.1-Codex-Max costs $10 per million tokens versus GPT-5 Pro at $120 per million. This creates a 12x cost advantage for B on equivalent context sizes. Both models are otherwise identical in provider and context length.
Input Modalities
Winner: GPT-5 ProGPT-5 Pro explicitly supports large-scale image, text, and file tasks with strong integration across all three. GPT-5.1-Codex-Max is limited to text and image inputs with no file support mentioned. This gives A broader coverage for document workflows.
Use-Case Focus
Winner: TieGPT-5 Pro is positioned for document-heavy workflows while GPT-5.1-Codex-Max emphasizes coding and complex technical tasks. Both handle 400k context but target different primary applications within multimodal use.
Context Handling
Winner: TieBoth models list exactly 400000 tokens of context and note high resource demands at maximum length. No speed or intelligence metrics differentiate them on context utilization.
GPT-5.1-Codex-Max
Pros
- +Handles very large contexts
- +Strong coding focus
- +Combines text and image inputs
Cons
- –Limited to text and image modalities
- –High resource demands for large contexts
- –No support for other media types
GPT-5 Pro
Pros
- +Handles very large inputs across modalities
- +Strong integration of text, image, and file data
- +Suitable for document-heavy workflows
Cons
- –No native real-time information access
- –Performance can vary on highly specialized topics
- –Higher computational cost with maximum context
Summary: GPT-5.1-Codex-Max vs GPT-5 Pro
Select GPT-5.1-Codex-Max for cost-sensitive coding and technical image-text work. Select GPT-5 Pro when file uploads and document integration are required despite the higher price. The models serve distinct multimodal niches rather than competing directly on the same tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Neither is better overall; GPT-5 Pro suits file-inclusive document tasks while GPT-5.1-Codex-Max suits cheaper coding-focused text-image work.