Compare a closed frontier-model API with the leading open-weights alternative you can fine-tune or self-host.
Pick OpenAI when you want the strongest general-purpose models and the broadest tooling surface under one managed API. Pick Mistral when open weights matter — for self-hosting, fine-tuning on your data, or routing some workloads off a closed vendor to control cost and dependency risk.
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| Attribute | Mistral AI | OpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI / ML | AI / ML |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Platforms | — | web, api |
