Llama 3.1 8B vs GPT-oss 20B

Side-by-side API pricing comparison: which model gives you more for less?

Last verified May 2026 · Prices per 1M tokens

Cheaper Input
GPT-oss 20B
$0.08 vs $0.1
Cheaper Output
Llama 3.1 8B
$0.1 vs $0.35
Max Savings
20%
by switching to GPT-oss 20B
Save up to 20%
Switch from Llama 3.1 8B to GPT-oss 20B · $0.08 input / $0.35 output per 1M tokens

Quick Comparison

FeatureLlama 3.1 8BGPT-oss 20B
Provider Meta (Together.ai) OpenAI
Tier Budget Budget
Input Price $0.1 $0.08
Output Price $0.1 $0.35
Context Window 128K 128K
Verified May 2026 May 2026

When to Use Each

💰 Cost-Sensitive Workloads

High-volume APIs, batch processing, and startups watching runway.

→ Use GPT-oss 20B — 20% cheaper input, -250% cheaper output

🧠 Complex Reasoning

Tasks requiring advanced reasoning, code generation, or nuanced analysis.

→ Either model works — compare quality on your specific tasks

⚡ High-Throughput APIs

Real-time chatbots, streaming responses, and latency-sensitive apps.

→ GPT-oss 20B for cost at scale, Llama 3.1 8B if quality matters more

🔬 Prototyping & Testing

Development, experimentation, and non-critical workloads.

→ Use GPT-oss 20B — same context (128K), much cheaper

Track price changes for both models

APIpulse Pro monitors 49 models across 10 providers. Get alerts when Llama 3.1 8B or GPT-oss 20B prices change.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is GPT-oss 20B cheaper than Llama 3.1 8B?

Yes. GPT-oss 20B costs $0.08 input / $0.35 output per 1M tokens, while Llama 3.1 8B costs $0.1 input / $0.1 output. That's 20% cheaper on input and -250% cheaper on output.

How much can I save switching to GPT-oss 20B?

For a typical workload (1M input + 500K output tokens/month), GPT-oss 20B costs $0.26/month vs $0.15/month for Llama 3.1 8B. That's a savings of $-0.10/month (20%).

Which should I choose: Llama 3.1 8B or GPT-oss 20B?

Choose GPT-oss 20B for cost efficiency. Choose Llama 3.1 8B for Meta (Together.ai) ecosystem benefits. Both have 128K context windows.