Claude Sonnet 4 vs GPT-5.1 Instant
Wins 1 of 4 areas
Following instructions
Wins 3 of 4 areas
Coding · Reasoning · Images and charts
GPT-5.1 Instant is the stronger all-rounder.Claude Sonnet 4 is better at following instructions.
Scores updated · 7 tests both models report · How we compare
Where each one wins
Tests won in each of the four areas where both have results. Each piece is one test, so a longer bar means more evidence; grey means the two scored within a point of each other.
- CodingWriting and fixing software01GPT-5.1 Instant1 of 1 test
- ReasoningHard problems that need careful thinking01GPT-5.1 Instant1 of 1 test
- Images and chartsUnderstanding pictures, charts and video01GPT-5.1 Instant1 of 1 test
- Following instructionsDoing exactly what it is asked10Claude Sonnet 41 of 1 test
Coding, reasoning, images and charts and following instructions rest on a single test each.
What it costs
Prices per million tokens, roughly 750,000 words. The bars show the cost of a million tokens read plus a million written.
The biggest differences
The tests each model wins by the widest margin, up to three each. Scores are out of 100.
Where GPT-5.1 Instant pulls ahead
- College exam questions with charts, maps and diagramsMMMU+11points ahead
- Graduate-level biology, physics and chemistry questionsGPQA Diamond+10.4points ahead
- Fixes real GitHub issues in Python projectsSWE-bench Verified+3.6points ahead
Where Claude Sonnet 4 pulls ahead
- Keeps track of context across a multi-turn chatMulti-Challenge+5.9points ahead
Every test, side by side
All 7 tests both models report. The winning score is in its model's colour; marks a score checked independently.
Following instructionsClaude Sonnet 4
- Multi-ChallengeClaude Sonnet 4 by 5.957.151.2+5.9
Other results3 tests, not counted
Tests outside the eight areas. They are not counted above: several are summary scores built from other tests, or the same test under another name.
- AIME 2025GPT-5.1 Instant by 23.570.594+23.5
- Tau2 airlineGPT-5.1 Instant by 11.555.567+11.5
- τ²-Bench (Retail)GPT-5.1 Instant by 2.97577.9+2.9
Questions people ask
Which is better, Claude Sonnet 4 or GPT-5.1 Instant?
GPT-5.1 Instant wins three of the four areas where both have results: coding, reasoning and images and charts. Claude Sonnet 4 wins following instructions.
Which is better for coding?
GPT-5.1 Instant. It wins the one coding test both models report.
How do you compare the two?
We use the 7 benchmark tests both models have published scores on. The verdict counts the 4 tests in the eight capability areas, and a gap under one point (ten on rating-style scales) counts as a tie. The other 3 are listed but not counted, because several are summary scores or repeat a test. Each score is the one shown on the model's own page.