Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, Qwen 2.5 Plus delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,445 vs 1,410), while Qwen 2.5 Plus leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (59.2%), while Qwen 2.5 Plus is more budget-friendly at $1/1M per 1M output tokens, while GPT-5 mini provides faster response streaming (155 tok/s). Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
9 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Cost-efficient GPT-5 distill for high-volume agents.
Alibaba balanced flagship API model with high-throughput general reasoning.
Currently comparing GPT-5 mini vs Qwen 2.5 Plus. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 35 Arena Elo pts
155 tok/s
$1 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top Western standard models with China's leading frontier rival across 6 skill dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | GPT-5 mini | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +35 | ||
| Coding Elo | +65 | ||
| LiveBench | +2.3% | ||
| SWE-bench | +6.8% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +3.8% | ||
| Time to first token | +40 ms | ||
| Output speed | 155 tok/s | 110 tok/s | +45 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.25/1M | $0.25/1M | — |
| Output price | +$1/1M | ||
| Context window | +272k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
Qwen 2.5 Plus is estimated to save $15.00/month ($180/year).
Higher SWE-bench (59.2%).
Lower output list price ($1/1M).
Lower TTFT (140 ms).
Larger window (400k).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 2.5 Plus).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Higher SWE-bench (59.2%). |
| High-volume chat | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Lower output list price ($1/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | GPT-5 mini | Lower TTFT (140 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | GPT-5 mini | Larger window (400k). |
| Screenshots / vision | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 2.5 Plus). |
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry
