Model comparison
Claude Sonnet 5.5 vs Claude Sonnet 4.6
- Input
- $2.00
- Output
- $10.00
- Context
- 1M
- Released
- 2026-09-28
- Input
- $3.00
- Output
- $15.00
- Context
- 1M
- Released
- 2026-02-17
Claude Sonnet 5.5 is cheaper on input tokens ($2 vs $3 per 1M, 1.5×).
Specs and pricing side by side
| Spec | Claude Sonnet 5.5 | Claude Sonnet 4.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Anthropic | Anthropicsame |
| Released | 2026-09-28 | 2026-02-17 |
| Context window | 1M | 1Msame |
| Max output | 128K | 64K |
| Input price | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| Output price | $10.00 | $15.00 |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietarysame |
| Weights | API only | API onlysame |
| Modalities | Text, Vision | Text, Vision, PDF |
| Knowledge cutoff | Jun 2026 | August 2025 |
Not published by either maker: parameters.
Benchmarks both models report
These two models have no benchmark in common in our registry, so there is no like-for-like score to compare. See each model’s own results: Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Sonnet 4.6.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Claude Sonnet 5.5 if…
- Cost matters: input tokens cost 1.5× less ($2 vs $3 per 1M).
- Your use case is: reach for it to run coding and terminal agents at volume, where near-flagship results at half the Opus 5.5 token price matter more than the last few points.
Pick Claude Sonnet 4.6 if…
- You need PDF input, which Claude Sonnet 5.5 lacks.
- Your use case is: agentic coding and large-scale refactors in Claude Code and IDE integrations.
FAQ
Which is better, Claude Sonnet 5.5 or Claude Sonnet 4.6?
Claude Sonnet 5.5 is cheaper on input tokens ($2 vs $3 per 1M, 1.5×). The better pick depends on whether you value benchmark scores, price per token, context length or openness for your workload.
How much cheaper is Claude Sonnet 5.5?
Claude Sonnet 5.5: $2.00 input, $10.00 output. Claude Sonnet 4.6: $3.00 input, $15.00 output (list API prices as published by each maker).
What are the context windows of Claude Sonnet 5.5 and Claude Sonnet 4.6?
Claude Sonnet 5.5 offers 1M with up to 128K output; Claude Sonnet 4.6 offers 1M with up to 64K output.
Is Claude Sonnet 5.5 newer than Claude Sonnet 4.6?
Claude Sonnet 5.5 was released 2026-09-28; Claude Sonnet 4.6 was released 2026-02-17.