Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GPT-5 mini delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,410 vs 1,295), while GPT-5 mini leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (52.4%), while GPT-5 mini is more budget-friendly at $2/1M per 1M output tokens, while Gemini 2.5 Flash provides faster response streaming (185 tok/s). Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
Speed, cost, and intelligence tradeoffs across the Google lineup
Δ 115 Arena Elo pts
185 tok/s
$2 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Each spoke is a skill. Farther from the center is better (0–100th percentile). Tap any dot to inspect details.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Gemini 2.5 Flash | GPT-5 mini | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | GPT-5 mini (+115) | ||
| Coding Elo | — | — | |
| LiveBench | GPT-5 mini (+9.8%) | ||
| SWE-bench | GPT-5 mini (+4.4%) | ||
| GPQA Diamond | GPT-5 mini (+3.8%) | ||
| Time to first token | Gemini 2.5 Flash (+30 ms) | ||
| Output speed | 185 tok/s | 155 tok/s | Gemini 2.5 Flash (+30 tok/s) |
| Input price | $0.3/1M | $0.25/1M | GPT-5 mini (+$0.05/1M) |
| Output price | $2.5/1M | GPT-5 mini (+$0.5/1M) | |
| Context window | Gemini 2.5 Flash (+649k) |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
GPT-5 mini is estimated to save $9.25/month ($111/year).
Higher SWE-bench (52.4%).
Lower output list price ($2/1M).
Lower TTFT (110 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5 mini).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GPT-5 mini | Higher SWE-bench (52.4%). |
| High-volume chat | GPT-5 mini | Lower output list price ($2/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Gemini 2.5 Flash | Lower TTFT (110 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Gemini 2.5 Flash | Larger window (1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-5 mini | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5 mini). |
High-volume agents that cannot pay Sol. Compare to Luna before you assume the new cheap SKU wins.
Useful as a cheap historical compare. 3.7 Flash is the 2026 volume SKU.
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Verified head-to-head card
