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BenchLM

GPT-5.4 nano vs GPT-5.6 Terra

Updated September 24, 2026. Rank says GPT-5.6 Terra is ahead. Price, access, and your workload can each overturn that. Public scores include evidence status and uncertainty.

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Decision reading

GPT-5.6 Terra has the higher public score, 72.58 versus 50.81, and the 90% score intervals do not overlap. 12 results are shared. Category rows resting on Estimated evidence or different benchmark sets are marked directional and do not name a winner.

Model A
OpenAI logo

OpenAI

50.81/100

Supported · Public rank #71

90% interval 37.6–64.0

Model B
OpenAI logo

OpenAI

72.58/100

Supported · Public rank #9

90% interval 68.5–76.7

Shared results
12
GPT-5.4 nano only
8
GPT-5.6 Terra only
20
Like-for-like categories
4 / 8
Supported: GPT-5.4 nano and GPT-5.6 TerraHow the comparison works

Which one for your work

Recommendations appear only when a shared evidence basis or an explicit operating constraint supports the call. Secondary and unsupported use cases stay disclosed below the initial list.

  • Coding work

    Code generation, repair, and software-engineering tasks

    GPT-5.6 Terra

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads on the public coding lane, 64.7 to 31.6, with Supported evidence for both models and non-overlapping 90% intervals.

    Confidence: stronger
  • Agentic work

    Tool use, computer use, and multi-step task completion

    GPT-5.6 Terra

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads on the public agentic lane, 59.5 to 31.7, with Supported evidence for both models and non-overlapping 90% intervals.

    Confidence: stronger
  • Long documents

    Prompts that approach the documented context limit

    GPT-5.6 Terra

    GPT-5.6 Terra has the larger documented context window.

    Confidence: documented
Show secondary and unsupported calls
  • Chat turn cost

    1K fresh input + 500 output tokens

    GPT-5.4 nano

    GPT-5.4 nano has the lower estimated token cost for this stated workload. Costs use the listed standard API rates.

    Confidence: listed-rates
  • Cache-heavy agent loop cost

    200K cached + 20K fresh input + 10K output tokens

    GPT-5.4 nano

    GPT-5.4 nano has the lower estimated token cost for this stated workload. Costs use the listed standard API rates.

    Confidence: listed-rates
  • Repository review cost

    50K fresh input + 3K output tokens

    GPT-5.4 nano

    GPT-5.4 nano has the lower estimated token cost for this stated workload. Costs use the listed standard API rates.

    Confidence: listed-rates

Which one for a specific job

Choose a job from the LLM Selector's task catalog to see the category row it rests on, under the same basis rules as the table below. A directional row stays directional; choosing a job never creates a winner.

The same task catalog as the LLM Selector. Each job names the evidence surface it rests on; nothing here adds a new score.

31.6GPT-5.4 nano64.7GPT-5.6 Terra

Like-for-like · BenchAlign v5.7

GPT-5.6 Terra leads the like-for-like coding row.

Coding scores combine specific tasks and setups. Match the editor, harness, and effort to your workflow.

Same basis rules as the category table below

What is actually comparable

Shared results can support a head-to-head reading. Results present for only one model describe coverage, not superiority.

1 category rests on Estimated evidence or different evidence sets. Those rows remain visible for coverage context but do not name a winner.

Shape of the matched evidence

Only shared public evidence is shown. Sparse evidence stays a ruled list rather than being closed into a radar shape.

Too few matched category axes support a radar. The ruled list below shows only shared benchmark results; positions use each benchmark’s normalized display scale when available.

Bars run 0–100 on each benchmark’s normalized display scale

Category results, on a stated basis

Each row shows the public-lane category score for both models: the BenchAlign v5.7 lane for agentic, coding, and knowledge, and the weighted public rows elsewhere, with the same rank each model page reports. A row is like-for-like only when both scores rest on Supported evidence or the same weighted set. Directional and not-comparable rows remain visible, but they never receive a winner.

Agentic

Like-for-like
GPT-5.4 nano
31.7
Supported · #64/105
GPT-5.6 Terra
59.5
Supported · #18/105
Basis
BenchAlign v5.7 lane · 6 vs 9 public rows
Reading
GPT-5.6 Terra leads

Coding

Like-for-like
GPT-5.4 nano
31.6
Supported · #84/135
GPT-5.6 Terra
64.7
Supported · #8/135
Basis
BenchAlign v5.7 lane · 3 vs 8 public rows
Reading
GPT-5.6 Terra leads

Multimodal

Like-for-like
GPT-5.4 nano
23.8
#47/50
GPT-5.6 Terra
77.2
#16/50
Basis
Provisional lane · 1 vs 1 weighted rows
Reading
GPT-5.6 Terra leads

Knowledge

Like-for-like
GPT-5.4 nano
37.8
Supported · #97/158
GPT-5.6 Terra
71.1
Supported · #9/158
Basis
BenchAlign v5.7 lane · 5 vs 8 public rows
Reading
GPT-5.6 Terra leads

Instruction following

Directional only
GPT-5.4 nano
91.9
#9/124
GPT-5.6 Terra
85.7
#35/124
Basis
Provisional lane · 0 vs 0 weighted rows
Reading
Directional only

Reasoning

Not comparable
GPT-5.4 nano
36.9
Unranked · 4 rankable rows
GPT-5.6 Terra
65.4
#12/19
Basis
Provisional lane · 1 vs 2 weighted rows
Reading
Not comparable

Multilingual

Not comparable
GPT-5.4 nano
Not ranked
GPT-5.6 Terra
Not ranked
Basis
Provisional lane · 0 vs 0 weighted rows
Reading
Not comparable

Math

Not comparable
GPT-5.4 nano
43.8
Unranked · 2 rankable rows
GPT-5.6 Terra
96.8
Unranked · 3 rankable rows
Basis
Provisional lane · 2 vs 2 weighted rows
Reading
Not comparable

Ranks count the models scored in each category’s lane, so the agentic, coding, and knowledge denominators (BenchAlign v5.7) differ from the provisional-lane categories. Unranked scores sit on the provisional lane’s scale but never name a winner. Like-for-like rows within 0.5 points read as a practical tie.

Supported evidence per lane · bars run 0–100Methodology

What each workload costs

Three fixed token mixes turn per-token rates into comparable decisions. Each scenario states context fit and whether cached input had to fall back to the published list-input rate.

Chat turn

1K fresh input + 500 output tokens

GPT-5.4 nano
$0.00082
Fits in one request
GPT-5.6 Terra
$0.008
Fits in one request

GPT-5.4 nano has the lower modeled cost

Costs use the listed standard API rates.

Repository review

50K fresh input + 3K output tokens

GPT-5.4 nano
$0.01375
Fits in one request
GPT-5.6 Terra
$0.136
Fits in one request

GPT-5.4 nano has the lower modeled cost

Costs use the listed standard API rates.

Cache-heavy agent loop

200K cached + 20K fresh input + 10K output tokens

GPT-5.4 nano
$0.0205
Fits in one request
GPT-5.6 Terra
$0.2
Fits in one request

GPT-5.4 nano has the lower modeled cost

Costs use the listed standard API rates.

Cached input falls back to the list input rate only where a cached rate is unpublished

Specification differences

Sourced differences are shown directly. Missing facts stay explicit instead of being inferred from a model name or family.

Cached-input rate

A missing cached-input rate falls back to the listed input rate only in the stated workload estimate.

GPT-5.4 nano

$0.02 per 1M cached input tokens

OpenAI pricing

GPT-5.6 Terra

$0.2 per 1M cached input tokens

OpenAI pricing

Reasoning profile

GPT-5.4 nano

Reasoning

GPT-5.6 Terra

Reasoning

Weight access

GPT-5.4 nano

Proprietary

GPT-5.6 Terra

Proprietary

License

GPT-5.4 nano

Proprietary

GPT-5.6 Terra

Proprietary

Release date

GPT-5.4 nano

2026-03-17

GPT-5.6 Terra

2026-07-09

If you already use one of these models

Deployment change
Both entries list OpenAI as the provider. Confirm endpoint, model ID, limits, and feature support before switching.
Quality signal
GPT-5.6 Terra has the higher public score, 72.58 versus 50.81, and the 90% score intervals do not overlap.
Workload cost
Repository review: $0.01375 vs $0.136. Cache-heavy agent loop: $0.0205 vs $0.2.
Context tradeoff
GPT-5.6 Terra has the larger documented window (1.05M).
Run the same representative tasks against both endpoints before changing production traffic.

Questions

Which is better, GPT-5.4 nano or GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-5.6 Terra has the higher public score, 72.58 versus 50.81, and the 90% score intervals do not overlap. That is the clearest overall quality signal in the current public data.

Which is better for coding, GPT-5.4 nano or GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-5.6 Terra leads the public coding lane, 64.7 to 31.6, with Supported evidence for both models and non-overlapping 90% intervals.

Which is better for agentic tasks, GPT-5.4 nano or GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-5.6 Terra leads the public agentic tasks lane, 59.5 to 31.7, with Supported evidence for both models and non-overlapping 90% intervals.

Which costs less, GPT-5.4 nano or GPT-5.6 Terra?

For the stated presets, chat costs $0.00082 on GPT-5.4 nano and $0.008 on GPT-5.6 Terra; repository review costs $0.01375 and $0.136; the cache-heavy agent loop costs $0.0205 and $0.2. Costs use the listed standard API rates.

Which has the larger context window, GPT-5.4 nano or GPT-5.6 Terra?

GPT-5.6 Terra has the larger documented context window: 1.05M, compared with 400K.

Benchmark evidence

The full public result ledger is available for audit without forcing a wide desktop table onto a phone.

Browse raw public benchmark evidence40 rows

Agentic

  • Terminal-Bench 2.0

    GPT-5.4 nano46.3%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • OSWorld-Verified

    GPT-5.4 nano39%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • MCP Atlas

    GPT-5.4 nano56.1%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • Toolathlon

    GPT-5.4 nano35.5%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra53.1%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • τ²-bench results

    GPT-5.4 nano92.5%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • Terminal-Bench 2.1 (Vals)

    GPT-5.4 nano41.6%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra77.5%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • Terminal-Bench 3.0

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra20.8%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • Terminal-Bench 2.1

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra87.4%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • BrowseComp

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra87.5%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • OSWorld 2.0

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra50.2%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • CyberGym

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra81.8%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • ExploitGym

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra23.2%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • ApprenticeBench

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra16%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

Coding

  • Vibe Code Bench

    GPT-5.4 nano26.10%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • LiveCodeBench (Vals)

    GPT-5.4 nano84.0%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra85.9%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • SWE-bench (Vals)

    GPT-5.4 nano69.8%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra95.4%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • SWE-bench Pro

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra63.4%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • Terminal-Bench 2.1

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra87.4%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • DeepSWE

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra69.6%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • FrontierCode 1.1 Extended

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra55.8%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • cursorBench32

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra64.9%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • VulcanBench v3

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra87.0%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

Reasoning

  • ARC-AGI-1

    GPT-5.4 nano51.50%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • ARC-AGI-2

    GPT-5.4 nano5.7%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra83.9%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • ARC-AGI-3

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra0.8%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

Multimodal

  • MMMU-Pro

    GPT-5.4 nano66.1%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra80.7%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • MMMU-Pro w/ Python

    GPT-5.4 nano69.5%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra82%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

Knowledge

  • GPQA

    GPT-5.4 nano82.8%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra92.9%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • HLE

    GPT-5.4 nano37.7%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • HLE w/o tools

    GPT-5.4 nano24.3%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra—

    Not directly comparable

  • GPQA Diamond (Vals)

    GPT-5.4 nano77.5%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra90.9%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • MMLU-Pro (Vals)

    GPT-5.4 nano77.2%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra86.7%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • GPQA-D

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra92.9%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • HLE-Verified

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra51.1%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • LABBench2

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra81.2%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • HealthBench Professional

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra57.7%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

  • HealthBench Hard

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra32.7%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

Math

  • FrontierMath v2 (Tiers 1-3)

    GPT-5.4 nano25.860%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra84.900%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • FrontierMath v2 (Tier 4)

    GPT-5.4 nano6.250%
    Source
    GPT-5.6 Terra68.300%
    Source

    GPT-5.6 Terra leads this result

  • FrontierMath (legacy)

    GPT-5.4 nano—
    GPT-5.6 Terra84.9%
    Source

    Not directly comparable

40 public results · 12 shared

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Last updated September 24, 2026