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Model comparison

GPT-5.2 vs GPT-5.4 Nano

Two OpenAI tiers compared on the figures that decide which one a workload actually needs.

Catalog record checked September 3, 2026Individual provider fields may changeEvidence confidence: High — see receipts below

OpenAI

GPT-5.2

Balanced

vs

OpenAI

GPT-5.4 Nano

Budget

AI model capability comparison
SpecificationGPT-5.2GPT-5.4 Nano
ProviderOpenAIOpenAI
TierBalancedBudget
Context window400K400K
Max output128K128K
Input / 1M tokens$1.75Winner: $0.20
Output / 1M tokens$14Winner: $1.25
WeightsClosedClosed
ParametersNot disclosedUnverifiedNot disclosedUnverified
Reasoning levelsnone, low, medium, high, xhigh, maxnone, low, medium, high
Modalitiestext, imagetext, image
API model idgpt-5.2gpt-5.4-nano
ReleasedDecember 11, 2025March 17, 2026
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index [high] (2026-08-14)Winner: 5040

Prices are USD per million tokens at standard rates, excluding batch and caching discounts. Bold indicates the better figure where one is objectively better. Values we could not confirm from the provider are shown as “Not verified” rather than estimated.

Benchmark receipts

  • 2026-08-14: Artificial AnalysisComposite index blending reasoning, knowledge, and coding evals into one 0–100 score. Comparability: directly comparable — AA occasionally rebaselines the index scale between snapshots — a score captured on one date is only comparable to same-snapshot scores (check measuredAt).

Pricing tiers: GPT-5.2: Standard $1.75/$14 per MTok; cached input $0.175/MTok; batch $0.875/$7. (gpt-5.2-pro exists at $21/$168.) · GPT-5.4 Nano: Standard $0.20/$1.25 per MTok; cached input $0.02/MTok; batch $0.10/$0.625.

BalancedRecord checked September 3, 2026

GPT-5.2

GPT-5.2 was OpenAI's previous flagship — still a strong, widely integrated general model at $1.75/$14.

Best for

  • General production
  • Agentic workflows
  • Knowledge work

Watch out

Two generations behind GPT-5.6; capable but no longer flagship.

BudgetRecord checked September 3, 2026

GPT-5.4 Nano

GPT-5.4 Nano is OpenAI's cheapest small tier for classification and extraction at $0.20/$1.25.

Best for

  • Classification
  • Summarisation
  • High-volume chat

Watch out

Smallest tier; not for hard reasoning or coding.

When the cheaper one wins

GPT-5.4 Nano is cheaper on output at $1.25 per million tokens against $14 for GPT-5.2 — about 11×. Use the cheaper tier for classification, extraction, summarisation, and any task where the expensive model’s extra score does not change the accepted output. The expensive one only pays if your hardest task actually fails on the cheap tier. These are standard-tier API rates, excluding batch and cache discounts.

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Evidence confidence: High

How strong and complete the evidence behind this comparison is — not a prediction of which model is better.

  • Pricing verified on both sides — Input and output rates are verified for both models.
  • 4/5 core specs verified on both sides — Not published for at least one side: parameter count.
  • 1 shared named benchmark with differing scores — Measured on: Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index.
  • Verified within the last 90 days — Newest catalog check was 8 days ago.
  • Both models carry source citations — Each side has at least two catalog sources on record.

Source receipts

Each catalog figure was checked against the provider or an independent second source on the date shown.

Related comparisons

Diving deeper on one model? GPT-5.2 · GPT-5.4 Nano

Common questions

GPT-5.2 vs GPT-5.4 Nano

Answered from the verified figures on this page rather than general guidance.

Is GPT-5.2 or GPT-5.4 Nano cheaper for input?

GPT-5.4 Nano is cheaper at $0.20 per million input tokens, against $1.75 for GPT-5.2 — roughly 8.8× the price. Output tokens usually dominate a real bill, so weigh the output rate more heavily than the input rate. These are base rates; GPT-5.2 has tiered pricing: Standard $1.75/$14 per MTok; cached input $0.175/MTok; batch $0.875/$7. (gpt-5.2-pro exists at $21/$168.) GPT-5.4 Nano has tiered pricing: Standard $0.20/$1.25 per MTok; cached input $0.02/MTok; batch $0.10/$0.625.

Is GPT-5.2 or GPT-5.4 Nano cheaper for output?

GPT-5.4 Nano is cheaper at $1.25 per million output tokens, against $14 for GPT-5.2 — roughly 11× the price. Output tokens usually dominate a real bill, so weigh the output rate more heavily than the input rate. These are base rates; GPT-5.2 has tiered pricing: Standard $1.75/$14 per MTok; cached input $0.175/MTok; batch $0.875/$7. (gpt-5.2-pro exists at $21/$168.) GPT-5.4 Nano has tiered pricing: Standard $0.20/$1.25 per MTok; cached input $0.02/MTok; batch $0.10/$0.625.

Which has the larger context window, GPT-5.2 or GPT-5.4 Nano?

Both accept about 400K tokens of context, so document length will not decide between them.

Do GPT-5.2 and GPT-5.4 Nano support the same reasoning levels?

GPT-5.2 exposes none, low, medium, high, xhigh, max, while GPT-5.4 Nano exposes none, low, medium, high.

Should I use GPT-5.2 or GPT-5.4 Nano?

GPT-5.2 is the balanced tier and GPT-5.4 Nano the budget tier. The useful question is whether your hardest task actually fails on the cheaper one — most production volume such as classification, extraction and summarisation does not.

Next step

Choosing between them

The verified figures that separate this pair, computed from the catalog rather than restated boilerplate.

  • Input price: GPT-5.4 Nano costs $0.20 per 1M tokens versus $1.75 for GPT-5.2 — a 8.8x difference at the headline tier.
  • Measured capability: GPT-5.2 leads Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index 50 to 40 (measured 2026-08-14).
  • Positioning: GPT-5.2 sits in the balanced tier, GPT-5.4 Nano in the budget tier — most production volume (classification, extraction, summarisation) does not need the pricier tier.
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