GPT-5.1 vs GPT-5.2 o1

A detailed comparison to help you choose the right AI tool for your needs.

OpenAI

GPT-5.1 Instant

4.7
Try GPT-5.1
Winner
OpenAI

GPT-5.2 Thinking

4.9
Try GPT-5.2 o1
Our Pick
GPT-5.2 Thinking

GPT-5.2 Thinking edges out GPT-5.1 Instant with superior overall performance and features that make it the better choice for most users.

Try GPT-5.2 o1

Feature Comparison

Feature
GPT-5.1
GPT-5.2 o1
Ratings
Overall Rating
4.7
4.9
Coding
4.5
4.8
Writing
4.6
4.5
Reasoning
4.8
5.0
Speed
4.8
3.8
Value
4.6
4.0
Pricing
Monthly Price
$20
$200
Free Tier
Input (per 1M tokens)
$2.5
$15
Output (per 1M tokens)
$10
$60
Features
Context Window
128K
128K
Vision/Images
Audio
Video
Code Generation
AI Agents

GPT-5.1 Instant

Pros

  • Fast responses with adaptive reasoning
  • New personalization presets
  • Strong math and coding improvements
  • Multimodal (text, image, audio)
  • Free tier available

Cons

  • Coding not as strong as Claude Opus
  • Can be verbose
  • Writing style less natural than Claude

GPT-5.2 Thinking

Pros

  • Best reasoning model from OpenAI
  • Edges out Gemini 3 and Claude Opus 4.5 on most tests
  • Performs at/above human expert level on GDPval
  • Excellent for coding, math, and document analysis
  • State-of-the-art on SWE-Bench Pro

Cons

  • Expensive ($200/mo for Pro subscription)
  • Slower than Instant variant
  • Requires Pro subscription for full access
  • Writing can feel robotic

Choose GPT-5.1 if you need:

General assistant, math problems, quick coding help

Choose GPT-5.2 o1 if you need:

Complex reasoning, software engineering, research, math proofs

Ready to get started?

Both tools offer free tiers or trials. Try them out and see which one works best for your workflow.