# OpenAI vs Groq

> Groq runs OpenAI's own open-weight gpt-oss models on its LPU chip. The choice is GPT's closed frontier tiers or much faster open weights with a 131K ceiling.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/openai-vs-groq · By The Subconscious Team · Updated September 30, 2026

## How they compare

A useful overlap sits in the middle of this pair. OpenAI publishes gpt-oss under Apache 2.0, and Groq's catalog now centers on it, with Groq publishing 500 tokens per second on GPT-OSS 120B and 1,000 on GPT-OSS 20B. The LPU keeps weights in on-chip SRAM on a deterministic schedule, so latency stays tight between median and tail. OpenAI's hosted models are a different tier entirely: GPT-6 Astra for computer use and coding, and the GPT-5.6 family down to Luna, all with a 1.05M window. OpenAI's own speed lever, Fast mode, tops out at 2.5x and doubles the price.

Context is the sharpest dividing line. Groq caps around 131K tokens and does not host fine-tuned models, while OpenAI goes to 1.05M, though it bills input at 2x past 272K. Groq's catalog is also shrinking, with its Llama models shut down in August 2026, and its long-term investment is an open question since NVIDIA hired most of its engineers. For voice agents and multi-call loops where each step must return fast, Groq is hard to beat. For long agent runs or tasks that need closed frontier quality, OpenAI is the safer bet.

## What each one does

### OpenAI

OpenAI runs the most widely adopted closed-model API. Its September 2026 lineup has GPT-6 Astra at the top for computer use, coding and long agentic runs, priced at $10 in and $50 out per million tokens. Below it sits the GPT-5.6 family: Sol for hard professional work, Terra as the balanced default, and Luna for high-volume jobs at $0.20 in and $1.20 out. All of them carry a 1.05M token context window with up to 128K output.

### Groq

Groq serves open models on its own chip, the LPU, which keeps model weights in on-chip SRAM and runs a deterministic schedule instead of waiting on GPU memory. Groq publishes 1,000 tokens per second on GPT-OSS 20B and 500 on GPT-OSS 120B. Latency stays tight between median and tail, which matters for strict SLAs. The API is OpenAI-compatible and also hosts Whisper for speech to text plus an agentic system called Groq Compound with built-in search and code execution.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose OpenAI for

- Tasks needing more than 131K tokens of context
- Frontier coding and computer use on GPT-6 Astra
- Hosted tools like file search and code execution

### Choose Groq for

- Voice agents where any pause reads as awkward
- Fast gpt-oss inference with predictable tail latency
- Multi-call loops where each step must return quickly

## At a glance

| Attribute | OpenAI | Groq |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Closed, plus open gpt-oss | Open weights |
| Flagship models | GPT-6 Astra, GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, Luna | GPT-OSS 120B, Qwen 3.6 27B |
| Speed | Fast mode: up to 2.5x at 2x price | 500–1,000 tok/s |
| Price | $0.20–$10 in, $1.20–$50 out per 1M | Near the floor on small models |
| Customization | N/A | No fine-tuned model hosting |
| Deployment | API, Azure OpenAI, Bedrock | GroqCloud API |
| Long context | 1.05M; 2x input past 272K | Around 131K max |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between OpenAI and Groq?

Groq runs OpenAI's own open-weight gpt-oss models on its LPU chip. The choice is GPT's closed frontier tiers or much faster open weights with a 131K ceiling.

### When should I choose OpenAI over Groq?

Tasks needing more than 131K tokens of context; Frontier coding and computer use on GPT-6 Astra; Hosted tools like file search and code execution.

### When should I choose Groq over OpenAI?

Voice agents where any pause reads as awkward; Fast gpt-oss inference with predictable tail latency; Multi-call loops where each step must return quickly.

### Is OpenAI or Groq cheaper?

OpenAI: $0.20–$10 in, $1.20–$50 out per 1M. Groq: Near the floor on small models. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, OpenAI or Groq?

OpenAI: 1.05M; 2x input past 272K. Groq: Around 131K max.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs OpenAI](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-openai.md), [Subconscious vs Groq](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-groq.md).

Full profiles: [OpenAI](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/openai.md), [Groq](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/groq.md).