GPT-5.5 is the stronger model if quality matters: it improves on GPT-5.4 in public coding and terminal-workflow benchmarks, expands API context to 1M tokens, and is the new OpenAI premium pick. GPT-5.4 still matters if cost is the main constraint, since its listed input price is lower. For new OpenAI-first coding or agent workflows, GPT-5.5 is the better default.
OpenAIPremium
GPT-5.5
Best OpenAI flagship for agentic coding, research, and computer-use work.
Winner
VS
OpenAIPremium
GPT-5.4
Best for agentic automation and desktop control workflows.
At a glance
GPT-5.5
GPT-5.4
Input cost / 1M tokens
$$5.00/1M
$$2.50/1M
Output cost / 1M tokens
$$30.00/1M
$$15.00/1M
Context window
1M tokens
272k tokens
Speed
Balanced
Balanced
Price tier
Premium
Premium
Benchmarks
SWE-bench (coding)
—
74.9%
Arena Elo
—
1,355
MMLU
—
91%
How they compare
Which model wins for each use case — and why.
CodingGPT-5.5 wins
GPT-5.5 scores 58.6% on SWE-Bench Pro vs GPT-5.4 at 57.7%, and improves more clearly on Terminal-Bench 2.0.
Agentic terminal workGPT-5.5 wins
GPT-5.5 reaches 82.7% on Terminal-Bench 2.0 vs GPT-5.4 at 75.1%, a bigger practical gap for tool-using coding agents.
PriceGPT-5.4 wins
GPT-5.4 remains cheaper in the catalog, so it can still be the better value when you do not need GPT-5.5's ceiling.
ContextGPT-5.5 wins
GPT-5.5 has a 1M API context window, while GPT-5.4 is listed with a smaller context window in the current catalog.
Which should you pick?
Pick GPT-5.5 if…
You are starting a new OpenAI-first coding or agent workflow
You need a 1M token context window
Terminal workflows, tool use, and benchmark ceiling matter more than price
For most workflows, GPT-5.5 is the stronger choice.
The strongest OpenAI pick for agentic coding and knowledge work. Claude Opus 4.7 still wins on the public SWE-Bench Pro coding number, but GPT-5.5 is the better OpenAI default when ecosystem, Codex, or computer-use workflows matter.
The case for each model
What each one is genuinely good at, where it falls down, and when we would steer you away from it.
Our overall pick in this comparison. Against GPT-5.4 it costs about 50% more per token and takes 4x the context.
OpenAI's latest agentic flagship for coding, research, computer-use workflows, and long multi-step knowledge work.
Input
$5.00/1M
Output
$30.00/1M
Context
1M tokens
Speed
Balanced
What people actually use it for
Running multi-file implementation and debugging loops in Codex
Building agents that research, operate tools, and verify work over long tasks
Analyzing large business, scientific, or technical documents with 1M context
Where it wins
58.6% on SWE-Bench Pro, ahead of GPT-5.4 on the same public coding benchmark
82.7% on Terminal-Bench 2.0 for complex command-line workflows
1M token API context window for large-codebase and document-heavy workflows
Where it falls down
Claude Opus 4.7 leads GPT-5.5 on SWE-Bench Pro for pure coding ceiling
Premium API pricing makes it less attractive for high-volume low-risk work
Skip it if
You only care about the highest public coding benchmark score or need a cheaper high-volume model.
Our verdict
The strongest OpenAI pick for agentic coding and knowledge work. Claude Opus 4.7 still wins on the public SWE-Bench Pro coding number, but GPT-5.5 is the better OpenAI default when ecosystem, Codex, or computer-use workflows matter.
Full pricing, benchmark table and release notes on the GPT-5.5 page.
The runner-up here, but not by a wide margin. Against GPT-5.5 it costs about 50% less per token.
OpenAI's latest flagship with unique desktop-control capabilities — it can see your screen, click, and navigate apps via the API.
Input
$2.50/1M
Output
$15.00/1M
Context
272k tokens
Speed
Balanced
What people actually use it for
Building agents that browse the web and operate desktop software autonomously via the API
Complex multi-step reasoning for financial modeling and decision analysis
Autonomous test-run-debug loops for coding with computer-use control
Where it wins
Only frontier model that can control a desktop via API (click, type, navigate)
Strong at multi-step agentic tasks and autonomous workflows
Competitive coding performance with 74.9% SWE-bench score
Where it falls down
Claude Opus 4.7 and GPT-5.5 now outperform it on current premium coding benchmarks
Smaller context window (272K) vs Gemini 3.1 Pro (2M) for research
Skip it if
You need the highest current coding benchmark scores — Claude Opus 4.7 and GPT-5.5 are newer premium picks.
Our verdict
Best choice when you need a model that can operate software autonomously at the older GPT-5.4 price tier. For current premium coding quality, Claude Opus 4.7 leads.
Full pricing, benchmark table and release notes on the GPT-5.4 page.
Frequently asked questions
Is GPT-5.5 better than GPT-5.4?
Yes for quality. GPT-5.5 improves on GPT-5.4 on SWE-Bench Pro and Terminal-Bench 2.0, and it has a larger 1M API context window.
Should I upgrade from GPT-5.4 to GPT-5.5?
Upgrade for coding agents, large-context work, or high-value tasks. Stay with GPT-5.4 when cost matters more than the last few points of quality.
Which one is cheaper?
GPT-5.4 is cheaper in the current catalog. GPT-5.5 is the premium OpenAI pick, not the budget pick.