o4 Mini Deep Research
OpenAI • LLM
o4-mini-deep-research is OpenAI's faster, more affordable deep research model—ideal for tackling complex, multi-step research tasks. Note: This model always uses the 'web_search' tool which adds additional cost.
Specifications
Context Window
200K tokens
Input Price/1M
$2.00
Output Price/1M
$8.00
Parameters
—
Max Output
100K tokens
Information
- Release date
- October 10, 2025
- Tool Calling
- ✅ Supported
- Vision
- ✅ Supported
- Audio
- ❌ Not supported
Full Analysis: o4 Mini Deep Research
What is o4 Mini Deep Research?
o4 Mini Deep Research is an AI model developed by OpenAI, classified as a large language model (LLM). It is a multimodal model, capable of processing text, images, and potentially other media types. As a proprietary model, it is available via OpenAI's cloud API. With a context window of 200K tokens, it is suitable for processing long documents such as contracts, books, and complete codebases.
Pricing & Costs in 2026
o4 Mini Deep Research is usage-based, priced at $2/1M input tokens and $8/1M output tokens. For context: 1 million tokens is approximately 750,000 words, or about 10 average-length books. The mid-range pricing balances quality and cost for most professional applications.
Benchmarks & Performance
We don't have detailed benchmark results for o4 Mini Deep Research yet. Benchmarks are updated weekly as new data becomes available from sources like Artificial Analysis, LM Arena, and LiveBench.
It's important to note that benchmarks measure specific aspects and don't capture the full user experience. Factors like instruction adherence, behavior in long conversations, and real-world task quality vary significantly between models and aren't always reflected in standard scores.
Recommended Use Cases
o4 Mini Deep Research is suitable for a wide range of AI applications: long document analysis (contracts, legal proceedings, codebases), automation with tool calling (API integration, databases, external systems), image and visual document analysis (OCR, diagrams, screenshots), multimodal processing combining text and images, complex reasoning, math problem solving, and logical analysis, text generation, summarization, translation, and general assistance.
Comparison with Alternatives
In the 2026 AI model ecosystem, o4 Mini Deep Research competes directly with similarly capable models. Key competitors include Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), and open source models like Llama (Meta) and Qwen (Alibaba). The choice between models depends on the specific use case, budget, latency requirements, and need for features like multimodality and tool calling.
For a detailed side-by-side comparison, use our comparison tool or check the overall model ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is o4 Mini Deep Research?
o4-mini-deep-research is OpenAI's faster, more affordable deep research model—ideal for tackling complex, multi-step research tasks. Note: This model always uses the 'web_search' tool which adds additional cost.
How much does o4 Mini Deep Research cost?
o4 Mini Deep Research costs $2/1M input tokens and $8/1M output tokens. For heavy usage (e.g., a chatbot handling 100k messages/month), costs can range from $10 to $1,000 depending on volume.
How does o4 Mini Deep Research compare with other models?
We don't have detailed benchmarks for o4 Mini Deep Research yet. Check the main benchmark page to compare available models.
Is o4 Mini Deep Research open source?
No, o4 Mini Deep Research is a proprietary model from OpenAI. It is available via cloud API. For open source alternatives, check our open source model ranking.
What is o4 Mini Deep Research best for?
o4 Mini Deep Research excels at complex reasoning and problem solving. With its large context window, it handles long documents, codebases, and extended conversations. It supports tool calling for API integrations and automation.
Last updated: June 01, 2026 • View methodology →