Alternatives · 15 models compared · checked 10 Oct 2026
gpt-oss-20b alternatives: 15 models in or near grid B3
The closest model to gpt-oss-20b on the atlas is Mistral Nemo, in the same square, at $0.03 per 1M input tokens against gpt-oss-20b’s . None of the nearest models is cheaper on input. We rank by position on the atlas, not by capability, because we hold no capability data.
$0.02
observed We measured
- Source
- Our catalogue
- Retrieved
- 10 Oct 2026
Ask an AI about this pageGChatGPTCClaudePPerplexityGeGeminiXGrok
Cite
Cite this page
ModelsAtlas. “gpt-oss-20b alternatives: 15 models in or near grid B3”. Retrieved 10 Oct 2026. https://modelsatlas.com/models/openai/gpt-oss-20b/alternatives
Where the alternatives sit
Each square is a price band (A–H) × a context band (1–6). How the grid works
Same squareGRIDB310 modelsGemma 3 12B, Gemma 3 27B, Gemma 3 4B and 7 more
gpt-oss-20bIts 15 nearest modelsOther modelsOpen weights
View the map as a table (3 squares)
| Square | Price band | Context band | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRIDB2 | <$0.10 | 32–128K | Llama 3.2 1B Instruct, Command R7B (12-2024), Mistral Small 3 |
| GRIDB3 | <$0.10 | 128–256K | gpt-oss-20b, Mistral Nemo, gpt-oss-120b, Gemma 3 12B, Gemma 3 4B, Llama 3.1 8B Instruct, Llama 3.2 3B Instruct, gpt-oss-safeguard-20b, Gemma 3 27B, Qwen3 32B, Mistral Small 3.2 24B |
| GRIDB4 | <$0.10 | 256K–1M | Nemotron 3 Nano 30B A3B, Gemma 4 26B A4B |
Top 15 alternatives
Ranked by steps away on the atlas, then cheaper before pricier, then input price
| # | Model | Grid | Why it fits | Input / 1M | vs gpt-oss-20b | Output / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | gpt-oss-20bOpenAI · the model you’re replacing | GRIDB3 | Baseline | $0.02 | — | $0.09 | 131K | |
| 1 | Mistral NemoMistral AI | GRIDB3 | Same square, 61% pricier input | $0.03 | +61% | $0.03 | 131K | Compare → |
| 2 | gpt-oss-120bOpenAI | GRIDB3 | Same maker, same square, 67% pricier input | $0.03 | +67% | $0.15 | 131K | Compare → |
| 3 | Gemma 3 12BGoogle | GRIDB3 | Same square, 178% pricier input | $0.05 | +178% | $0.15 | 131K | Compare → |
| 4 | Gemma 3 4BGoogle | GRIDB3 | Same square, 178% pricier input | $0.05 | +178% | $0.10 | 131K | Compare → |
| 5 | Llama 3.1 8B InstructMeta | GRIDB3 | Same square, 178% pricier input | $0.05 | +178% | $0.08 | 131K | Compare → |
| 6 | Llama 3.2 3B InstructMeta | GRIDB3 | Same square, 178% pricier input | $0.05 | +178% | $0.33 | 131K | Compare → |
| 7 | gpt-oss-safeguard-20bOpenAI | GRIDB3 | Same maker, same square, 317% pricier input | $0.08 | +317% | $0.30 | 131K | |
| 8 | Gemma 3 27BGoogle | GRIDB3 | Same square, 344% pricier input | $0.08 | +344% | $0.45 | 131K | |
| 9 | Qwen3 32BQwen (Alibaba) | GRIDB3 | Same square, 344% pricier input | $0.08 | +344% | $0.28 | 131K | |
| 10 | Mistral Small 3.2 24BMistral AI | GRIDB3 | Same square, 421% pricier input, 2× the context | $0.09 | +421% | $0.25 | 256K | |
| 11 | Llama 3.2 1B InstructMeta | GRIDB2 | Neighbouring square B2, 50% pricier input | $0.03 | +50% | $0.20 | 60K | Compare → |
| 12 | Command R7B (12-2024)Cohere | GRIDB2 | Neighbouring square B2, 108% pricier input | $0.04 | +108% | $0.15 | 128K | |
| 13 | Mistral Small 3Mistral AI | GRIDB2 | Neighbouring square B2, 178% pricier input | $0.05 | +178% | $0.08 | 33K | |
| 14 | Nemotron 3 Nano 30B A3BNVIDIA | GRIDB4 | Neighbouring square B4, 233% pricier input, 2× the context | $0.06 | +233% | $0.24 | 262K | |
| 15 | Gemma 4 26B A4BGoogle | GRIDB4 | Neighbouring square B4, 275% pricier input, 2× the context | $0.07 | +275% | $0.23 | 262K |
What switching saves
3,000 input + 800 output tokens × 1,000 requests a day
Σ Derived from standard-tier prices; excludes caching and batch discounts. Use your own numbers →
Larger-context alternatives
| Model | Input / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mistral Small 3.2 24BMistral AI | $0.09 | 256K | |
| Nemotron 3 Nano 30B A3BNVIDIA | $0.06 | 262K | |
| Gemma 4 26B A4BGoogle | $0.07 | 262K | |
| Qwen3 Coder 30B A3B InstructQwen (Alibaba) | $0.07 | 262K | |
| Nemotron 3 SuperNVIDIA | $0.08 | 262K |
Free alternatives
| Model | Input / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyria 3 Clip PreviewGoogle | Free | 1.05M | |
| Lyria 3 Pro PreviewGoogle | Free | 1.05M |
Compare gpt-oss-20b head to head
Questions
What is the best alternative to gpt-oss-20b?
Mistral Nemo ranks first: same square, 61% pricier input. Input is $0.03 per 1M tokens against $0.02 for gpt-oss-20b. Ranking is by position on the atlas, not by quality.
What is the cheapest alternative to gpt-oss-20b?
None of the 15 closest models is cheaper on input than gpt-oss-20b's $0.02.
Is there an open-weight alternative to gpt-oss-20b?
None of the 15 closest is marked open-weight in our records.
Which alternative has a larger context window?
Nemotron 3 Nano 30B A3B, Gemma 4 26B A4B and Mistral Small 3.2 24B hold more than gpt-oss-20b's 131K; the largest is Nemotron 3 Nano 30B A3B at 262K.
How are alternatives ranked?
By distance on the atlas grid from gpt-oss-20b's square B3: the same square first, then neighbouring squares. Within the same distance, cheaper models come before pricier ones, then the lowest input price wins. We hold no capability data, so we do not claim a model can do what gpt-oss-20b does, only that it costs and holds about the same. No vendor pays for position.
More alternatives
Keep going in your AI
Opens with this page as the source. We add nothing else to the prompt.
- What is the best alternative to gpt-oss-20b?
- What is the cheapest alternative to gpt-oss-20b?
- Is there an open-weight alternative to gpt-oss-20b?