Microsoft Phi-4 narrowly beats the Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 in the ai language models category, particularly in display, scoring 6.0/10 vs 5.4/10. If you want the better overall performer, Microsoft Phi-4 is the clear pick.
Scores are relative within the ai language modelscategory. Percentages show each dimension's weight in the overall score. A difference of less than 0.5 points is considered a tie.
✓ Pros
✗ Cons
Lower cost = better value. Free = open-source self-hosted.
| Metric | Microsoft Phi-4 | Small 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Input (Prompt) | ✓$0.07/1M | $0.10/1M |
| Output (Completion) | ✓$0.26/1M | $0.30/1M |
| Open Source | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
Context Window (tokens)
| Metric | Microsoft Phi-4 | Small 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Max Output | 4,096 tok | 4,096 tok |
| Speed | ✓250 tok/s | 200 tok/s |
| Time to First Token | ✓150ms | 250ms |
| Languages | ✓15+ | 12+ |
Higher is better. Industry-standard AI evaluation benchmarks.
Microsoft Phi-4
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| Feature | Microsoft Phi-4 | Small 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning / Chain-of-Thought | ✕ | ✕ |
| Vision (Image Input) | ✕ | ✕ |
| Audio Input | ✕ | ✕ |
| Video Input | ✕ | ✕ |
| Image/Audio Output | ✕ | ✕ |
| Function Calling / Tools | ✕ | ✓ |
| JSON Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time Web Access | ✕ | ✕ |
| Fine-tuning Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Batch API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Streaming | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Field | Microsoft Phi-4 | Small 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Microsoft | Mistral AI |
| Parameters | 14B | 24B |
| Knowledge Cutoff | 2024-06 | 2024-01 |
| License | MIT | Apache 2.0 |
| Best For | edge deploymentSTEMcost efficiencymathsmall footprint | cost efficiencyopen sourceself hostinghigh volume |
Buy Microsoft Phi-4 if…
Buy the Microsoft Phi-4 if you want the best performance in this comparison. It scores higher overall and is the recommended choice for most buyers.
Buy Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 if…
The Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 is worth considering if you prefer its specific design, ecosystem, or brand — though it scores lower overall in our comparison.
Microsoft Phi-4 narrowly beats the Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 in the ai language models category, particularly in display, scoring 6.0/10 vs 5.4/10. If you want the better overall performer, Microsoft Phi-4 is the clear pick.
Yes, Microsoft Phi-4 scores higher overall (8.2 vs 7.9).
Check the latest prices using the buy links above.
Buy the Microsoft Phi-4 if you want the best performance in this comparison. It scores higher overall and is the recommended choice for most buyers.
The Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 is worth considering if you prefer its specific design, ecosystem, or brand — though it scores lower overall in our comparison.