Mistral AI vs 
OpenAI
Verdict
- OpenAI's flagship leads: GPT-6 Astra at 70.4 vs Mistral Large 4 at 56.7.
- OpenAI has the better model in 4 of 4 price bands.
- OpenAI's fastest ranked model (GPT-5.4 Mini, 255 tok/s) beats Mistral AI's (Ministral 3 3B, 207 tok/s).
- Mistral AI publishes more open-weights models (32 vs 3).
- OpenAI ships more often: one model every 22 days against every 28.
Best model per price band
Each provider’s highest-index model below the price ceiling. Purple marks the winner of the band.
| Price band | Mistral AI | OpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Under $0.50/M | Mistral Small 4 thinking 45.6$0.262/M | GPT-6 Luna max 60.0$0.200/M |
| Under $2/M | Mistral Medium 3.1 46.1$0.800/M | GPT-6 Luna max 60.0$0.200/M |
| Under $10/M | Mistral Large 4 56.7$2.06/M | GPT-6.1 Sol max 69.9$4.00/M |
| Any price | Mistral Large 4 56.7$2.06/M | GPT-6 Astra max 70.4$20.00/M |
Line-up
| Metric | Mistral AI | OpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship index | 56.7 | 70.4 |
| Ranked models | 31 | 44 |
| Open-weights models | 32 | 3 |
| Cheapest ranked, $/M | $0.058 | $0.093 |
| Fastest ranked, tok/s | 207 | 255 |
| Release cadence, days | 28 | 22 |
| Last release | 6 Oct 2026 | 29 Sept 2026 |
| Next expected | 22 Oct 2026 – 14 Nov 2026 | 12 Oct 2026 – 29 Oct 2026 |
Data as of 25 Oct 2026. See Mistral AI and OpenAI in full.