Grok 4 (developed by xAI) and GPT-4 (from OpenAI) are two of the most advanced large language models available in 2025. While both offer powerful capabilities in reasoning, coding, and content generation, they differ in architecture, real-time access, safety practices, and intended use cases.
This article breaks down their strengths, weaknesses, features, and pricing to help you choose the right model for your needs.
Both Grok 4 and GPT-4 excel in distinct areas:
| Area | Grok 4 | GPT-4 | 
|---|---|---|
| STEM/Coding | Industry-leading scores (e.g., 100% on AIME Math) | Strong performer, but often edged out by Grok 4 | 
| Reasoning | Excellent in abstract and logic-heavy tasks | Very strong, though not as aggressive in STEM logic | 
| Language/Creativity | Good, but less nuanced in tone and context | Superior in narrative, tone, and nuanced expression | 
| Real-time Data | ✅ Live integration with X (Twitter) | ❌ No native real-time access | 
| Vision Tasks | Weak or underdeveloped | ✅ Robust multimodal capabilities (text + image) | 
Verdict:
 Choose Grok 4 for math, coding, and real-time data.
 Choose GPT-4 for creativity, writing, and multimodal content.
| Feature | Grok 4 | GPT-4 | 
|---|---|---|
| Context Window | 256,000 tokens | Up to 1,000,000 tokens (in premium variants) | 
| Modality | Text, code (limited image support) | Text + image (fully supported multimodal) | 
| Real-Time Awareness | ✅ Yes, via X | ❌ No | 
| Multi-Agent Mode | ✅ Available in Grok 4 Heavy | ❌ Not supported | 
| Memory | Limited, less consistent | Available in ChatGPT Plus | 
STEM and reasoning: Best-in-class math, code, and abstract logic performance
Real-time info: Unique X (Twitter) integration for current news and trends
Multi-agent capabilities: Grok 4 Heavy supports collaborative agents
Large context window: Ideal for analyzing long documents or large datasets
Natural language generation: Unmatched in writing, storytelling, and nuance
Image understanding: Robust multimodal support for vision-related tasks
Safety and moderation: More reliable with fewer harmful outputs
Platform integration: Embedded in apps, plugins, and productivity tools
Bias and content safety: Has produced harmful or offensive content
Underdeveloped vision capabilities: Poor image handling compared to GPT-4
Subscription cost: SuperGrok Heavy costs up to $300/month
Basic task inconsistency: Occasionally fails on simple logic or counting
No real-time knowledge: Outputs are based on static training or plugin input
Occasional hallucinations: Can provide confident but incorrect answers
High usage costs: API usage for GPT-4 Turbo can be expensive at scale
| Model | API Pricing (Input/Output) | Consumer Subscription | 
|---|---|---|
| Grok 4 | $3 / $15 per 1M tokens | $30/month (SuperGrok), $300/month (Heavy) | 
| GPT-4 | Varies (typically lower per token) | $20/month (ChatGPT Plus) | 
Note: Grok 4’s output tokens are significantly more expensive, especially for text-heavy workflows.
| Need | Recommended Model | 
|---|---|
| High-performance coding and math | Grok 4 | 
| Real-time news or social media summarization | Grok 4 | 
| Long-form writing or creative generation | GPT-4 | 
| Image analysis and multimodal applications | GPT-4 | 
| Safer general-purpose assistant | GPT-4 | 
| Agent-based enterprise AI workflows | Grok 4 Heavy | 
| Feature/Aspect | Grok 4 | GPT-4 | 
|---|---|---|
| STEM & Reasoning | ✅ Best-in-class | ✅ Excellent | 
| Language/Creativity | ⚠️ Good but less nuanced | ✅ Superior | 
| Visual Tasks | ❌ Underdeveloped | ✅ Fully multimodal | 
| Real-Time Data | ✅ Yes (X integration) | ❌ No | 
| Safety & Moderation | ❌ Mixed history | ✅ More consistent | 
| Cost & Accessibility | ❌ Higher for full access | ✅ More affordable plans | 
| Multi-Agent Features | ✅ (Heavy tier) | ❌ Not available | 
You need real-time intelligence
You work in STEM-heavy fields
You want multi-agent collaboration
You’re focused on logic-heavy automation or analysis
You need top-tier language generation
You value reliability and safe content
You want strong multimodal performance
You need wider app/plugin compatibility
Conclusion:
Grok 4 is a technical powerhouse with real-time strength but faces trust and safety challenges. GPT-4 remains the gold standard for language, creativity, and stability, especially in general-use applications.
Benchmark Performance:
Grok 4 consistently scores at the top of STEM-related benchmarks, including a perfect 100% on the AIME Math Exam and record-setting performance in abstract reasoning.
GPT-4 shines in language-rich, legal, and creative domains, surpassing the 90th percentile on the U.S. bar exam and demonstrating human-level performance in diverse fields.
| Area | Grok 4 | GPT-4 | 
|---|---|---|
| Math & Logic | Best-in-class | Very strong, but sometimes edged out | 
| Coding | Advanced debugging & logic tasks | Excellent code generation | 
| Language | Good, but less nuanced | More coherent and expressive | 
| Real-World Tasks | Excels in data-rich environments | Excels in user-facing applications | 
Real-World Usage:
Grok 4 excels in STEM-heavy applications, AI research, and real-time tasks.
GPT-4 is better for general-use cases like writing, summarization, and multimodal content.
| Feature | Grok 4 (xAI) | GPT-4 (OpenAI) | 
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | 2025 | March 2023 (GPT-4), Nov 2023 (GPT-4 Turbo) | 
| Context Window | 256,000 tokens | Up to 1,000,000 tokens (GPT-4 Turbo) | 
| Multimodal Support | Text & code (vision in development) | Text + image input/output fully supported | 
| Real-Time Data | ✅ Integrated with X (Twitter) | ❌ Not real-time (uses plugins for updates) | 
| Multi-Agent Capability | ✅ Grok 4 Heavy only | ❌ Not supported | 
| System Design | Emphasizes bold, real-time personality | Focused on safe, well-rounded language AI | 
Although Grok 4 has a smaller context window than GPT-4 Turbo’s 1M tokens, users still prefer Grok 4 for:
Superior math and logic accuracy in competitive benchmarks
Live access to current events and trending topics
Faster reactions to emerging data through X integration
Unique multi-agent features that allow for more dynamic task solving
Grok 4’s “internet-native” personality and ability to handle STEM or analytical challenges make it attractive to developers, researchers, and data-heavy industries.
Recent upgrades have:
Boosted Grok 4’s reasoning reliability and accuracy
Improved its system prompt design for fewer hallucinations
Added Grok 4 Heavy, enabling multi-agent coordination for complex workflows
Extended its real-time responsiveness using social media data pipelines
As a result, Grok 4 is increasingly viewed as a GPT-4 challenger in specific technical domains, especially for users who prioritize up-to-date insights, agent-based architecture, and STEM accuracy.
Despite its strengths, Grok 4 faces several reliability challenges:
Bias and moderation issues: High-profile incidents involving hate speech, misinformation, and offensive outputs
Inconsistent behavior: Struggles with basic arithmetic or instruction-following despite excelling in complex tasks
Underdeveloped vision capabilities: GPT-4 remains stronger in multimodal tasks
Transparency gaps: Lack of a public ethics board or standardized moderation framework
In contrast, GPT-4 is viewed as safer and more stable, especially in consumer applications and business environments that require consistent outputs.
| Aspect | Grok 4 | GPT-4 | 
|---|---|---|
| Best for | STEM, real-time insights, coding | Creativity, language, productivity | 
| Strengths | Logic, reasoning, multi-agent mode | Multimodal, safety, wide adoption | 
| Reliability Risks | Prompt sensitivity, bias exposure | Few high-profile failures | 
| Market Position | Niche powerhouse | Broad, general-purpose leader | 
Choose Grok 4 for technical depth and cutting-edge AI experimentation
Choose GPT-4 for balanced, consistent, and safer general-purpose use