GPT-6.1 Sol vs GPT-6.1 Terra

vs

Which one, when

For prompts up to 272000 input tokens, gpt-6.1-terra keeps the same context and output limits at half the input and output price, with optional reasoning. Choose gpt-6.1-sol for the higher OpenAI tier only when your task evaluations justify the extra cost.

Pricing

GPT-6.1 Sol GPT-6.1 Terra Δ
Input / 1M tokens $2 $1 2×
Output / 1M tokens $10 $5 2×
Cache read / 1M tokens $0.1 $0.05 2×
Cache write 1.25x (30m) / 2.5x (12h) 1.25x (30m) / 2.5x (12h) -

Rates from the live catalogue at build time; each model page carries the current rate card.

Where they sit · input price per 1M tokens across all 80 chat models on this billing unit (log scale)

$0.05 · Qwen3 VL Flash $30 · GPT-5.4 Pro

Capabilities

GPT-6.1 Sol GPT-6.1 Terra
Tool calling yes yes
Thinking control always on configurable
Structured output yes yes
Prompt caching implicit + explicit implicit + explicit
Cache lifetime at least 30m by default, 12h option on the Responses API at least 30m by default, 12h option on the Responses API
Minimum cached prefix 1,024 tokens 1,024 tokens

Specs

GPT-6.1 Sol GPT-6.1 Terra
Input modalities text image text image
Output modalities text text
Released 2026-09-29 2026-10-26
Knowledge cutoff 2026-04 2026-06
Context window 1.1M 1.1M
Max output 128K 128K
Thinking parameter reasoning.effort reasoning.effort
Accepted values
reasoning.effort
  • low
  • medium
  • high
  • xhigh
  • max
reasoning.effort
  • none
  • low
  • medium
  • high
  • xhigh
  • max
Default medium medium

Specs are transcribed from each vendor’s documentation; a row a vendor does not publish is left out rather than inferred. Full sources: GPT-6.1 Sol · GPT-6.1 Terra

One prompt, both models, measured through the gateway

PROMPT Explain to a CFO, in exactly three sentences, why our LLM bill doubled after we enabled reasoning. CHECK exactly 3 sentences

GPT-6.1 Sol passed · 3 sentences

Enabling reasoning makes the model do more computational work before answering, and many providers bill the resulting reasoning tokens even though users never see them. That means the same number of requests can cost twice as much because each request consumes more billable tokens, even if the visible answers stay the same length. We should confirm the increase in our usage breakdown and reserve higher reasoning levels for tasks where the improvement justifies the added cost.

out 144 tok (+54 thinking) latency 6.6 s

GPT-6.1 Terra passed · 3 sentences

Enabling reasoning caused the model to process additional internal tokens before producing each answer, even though those tokens are not visible to users. Those tokens are generally billable, increasing the cost per request and potentially doubling the bill even if usage stayed the same. To confirm the cause, compare request counts, model pricing, and token usage—including reasoning tokens—before and after the change.

out 196 tok (+115 thinking) latency 4.6 s

Instruction following (exactly three sentences, so countable), audience shaping (CFO register), and the hidden-thinking billing gap the token meters below expose.

PROMPT This function is supposed to return the longest run of consecutive equal items, but callers report it is off by one on single-element inputs and misses runs that end at the last index. Fix it and explain the bug in one paragraph. CHECK fix passes tests

GPT-6.1 Sol passed · 8/8 cases

```python def longest_run(xs): if not xs: return 0 best = cur = 1 for i in range(1, len(xs)): if xs[i] == xs[i - 1]: cur += 1 else: cur = 1 best = max(best, cur) return best ``` The original function counts equal adjacent pairs rather than items in a run: a run of length `n` has only `n - 1` equal pairs, so a single-element input returns `0`, and a run ending at the last index is also undercounted. It does process the last index, so the issue is not a missing final check. Initializing each nonempty run to `1` and updating `best` after every iteration correctly counts items, including singleton and trailing runs; empty inputs still return `0`.

out 189 tok latency 6.3 s

GPT-6.1 Terra passed · 8/8 cases

```python def longest_run(xs): if len(xs) == 0: return 0 best = cur = 1 for i in range(1, len(xs)): if xs[i] == xs[i - 1]: cur += 1 else: cur = 1 best = max(best, cur) return best ``` The original code counted matching *adjacent pairs* rather than items, so every nonempty run was undercounted by one, including a single-element input. It did update `best` for matches at the last index, but still undercounted those runs. The fix starts each run at length one and updates `best` as the run grows.

out 331 tok (+172 thinking) latency 6.3 s

Whether the fix is actually correct (runnable), explanation density, and token efficiency on a bounded task.

PROMPT Extract a JSON object with fields {company, quarter, revenue_usd_m, growth_pct, guidance} from this text. Use null for anything not stated; add no other fields. CHECK valid JSON, schema exact

GPT-6.1 Sol passed · 5/5 fields, guidance "Withheld pending the Q4 close"

{ "company": "Meridian Robotics", "quarter": "September quarter", "revenue_usd_m": null, "growth_pct": "eleven and change", "guidance": "Withheld pending the Q4 close" }

out 345 tok (+285 thinking) latency 10.2 s

GPT-6.1 Terra passed · 5/5 fields, guidance "Withheld pending the Q4 close"

{ "company": "Meridian Robotics", "quarter": "September quarter", "revenue_usd_m": null, "growth_pct": null, "guidance": "Withheld pending the Q4 close" }

out 317 tok (+261 thinking) latency 6.9 s

Schema obedience (no invented fields), hallucination pressure (guidance is explicitly withheld), and structured-output path differences.

PROMPT Write a 120-word product announcement for an API gateway feature that caches prompts across providers. Forbidden words: "seamless", "unlock", "game-changer", "revolutionize", "empower". Exactly one sentence must be a question. CHECK 120 words, 0 banned words

GPT-6.1 Sol passed · 120 words, 0 banned, 1 question

Introducing Cross-Provider Prompt Cache, a new API gateway feature that stores reusable prompts and manages caching across your supported AI providers. Why rebuild the same context every time your application switches models? With one configuration, teams can reuse shared instructions, standardize cache policies, and reduce repeated prompt processing wherever provider caching is available. The gateway handles provider-specific requirements while giving you clear visibility into cache hits, usage, and estimated savings. Set expiration windows, isolate cached content by project, and invalidate entries when prompts change. Your existing routing logic stays intact, so you can compare models without rebuilding your caching workflow. […]

out 588 tok (+435 thinking) latency 13.9 s

GPT-6.1 Terra passed · 120 words, 0 banned, 1 question

Meet Prompt Cache, a new API gateway feature that stores reusable prompts across providers, helping teams reduce latency and control costs without changing how they build. When a request matches a cached prompt, the gateway retrieves the stored result instead of sending the same work again. Need to route traffic between models or vendors? Prompt Cache works across supported providers, giving your applications a consistent caching layer as your stack evolves. Set expiration policies, monitor cache performance, and choose which requests qualify through familiar gateway controls. Your team can spend less time repeating requests and more time improving the experiences customers rely on. Start using Prompt Cache today and make every request work harder for your application and your budget.

out 579 tok (+440 thinking) latency 9.1 s

Constraint obedience (word budget, banned-word list, the single question), style fingerprint, and length control.

Switch between them with one line

Both ids are in every tab below; the highlighted pair of lines is the only edit. Same endpoint, same key, same request shape.

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://synthorai.io/v1",
    api_key="sk-syn-...",
)

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-6.1-sol",
    # model="gpt-6.1-terra",  # uncomment this line, comment the one above
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Summarize this diff"}],
    reasoning_effort="medium",
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)

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FAQ

Which is cheaper, GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6.1 Terra?

GPT-6.1 Terra is cheaper on the "Input / 1M tokens" row ($1 vs $2, 2.0× apart). Other rows may point the other way; the table above carries the full rate card, and real cost depends on your mix.

Can I A/B test GPT-6.1 Sol against GPT-6.1 Terra without two integrations?

Yes. Both are served through the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint with one API key. Switching is a one-line change to the model id, so you can route a fraction of traffic to each and compare bills directly.

Do GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6.1 Terra support prompt caching?

Yes. Both bill cache reads below their input rate, so warm-prefix workloads cost less than the list rates suggest. The exact cache-read rows are in the pricing table above.

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