Model comparison

GPT-5.6 Terra vs gpt-oss-20b

Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)

GPT-5.6 Terra (OpenAI) and gpt-oss-20b (OpenAI), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.

Specs and pricing

openai logoGPT-5.6 Terraopenai logogpt-oss-20b
ProviderOpenAIOpenAI
Input (per 1M tokens)¥357.4¥5.36
Output (per 1M tokens)¥2,144.4¥25.02
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥1,430¥18
Context window1,050,000 tokens131,072 tokens
Release date7/9/20268/5/2025
Input modalitiesfile, image, texttext
Throughput (p50)
Arena · overall#45 · ELO 1,466#252 · ELO 1,317
Arena · Japanese#20 · ELO 1,467#179 · ELO 1,256
Arena · coding#35 · ELO 1,518#232 · ELO 1,369

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, gpt-oss-20b: ¥25.02 per 1M output tokens, 99% less than GPT-5.6 Terra.
  • On the Overall arena board, GPT-5.6 Terra ranks higher (#45; gpt-oss-20b is #252).
  • On the Japanese arena board, GPT-5.6 Terra ranks higher (#20; gpt-oss-20b is #179).
  • On the Coding arena board, GPT-5.6 Terra ranks higher (#35; gpt-oss-20b is #232).
  • For long documents, GPT-5.6 Terra: a 1,050,000-token context window against 131,072 for gpt-oss-20b.
  • If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.

Real answers to the same prompts

Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.

GPT-5.6 Terra

“strawberry” is spelled: s t **r** a w b e **r** **r** y There are **3** occurrences of the letter **r**.
3.6s71 output tokens

gpt-oss-20b

**Count of ‘r’ in “strawberry”: 3** --- ### Step‑by‑step reasoning 1. **Write out the word in individual letters** ``` s t r a w b e r r y ``` 2. **Identify each ‘r’** - The first ‘r’: appears after the “t” → **r** - The second ‘r’: appears in the part “berry” → **r** - The third ‘r’: the next letter after that → **r** 3. **Verify there are no more letters left** The remaining letters are “b”, “e”, “y”, none of which are “r”. 4. **Count the identified ‘r’s** 1 (first) + 1 (second) + 1 (third) = **3** --- ### Quick recap - Word: **strawberry** - Letters containing “r”: positions 3, 8, and 9. - Total count: **3**.
11.6s371 output tokens

Debug This Error

I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…

GPT-5.6 Terra

The error means `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so React tries to evaluate: ```js users.map(...) ``` But `.map()` only exists on arrays. Common causes: - The parent component does not pass a `users` prop. - The user data is loaded asynchronously and has not arrived on the first render. - The API response shape differs from what you expect, e.g. data is in `response.data.users` rather than `response.data`. - The parent initializes its user state as `undefined` or `null`. ## Fix options ### 1. Initialize users as an empty array In the parent component: ```jsx const [users, setUsers] = useState([]); ``` Then pass it normally: ```jsx <UserList users={users} /> ``` An e…
5.8s559 output tokens

gpt-oss-20b

### Why does the error happen? `users.map(...)` can only run when **`users` is an array**. The stack trace shows that the crash happens on line 12 of `UserList.js`, which is the exact spot where the code tries to call `.map`. The value that is being passed to `UserList` (or the initial value that the parent creates) is **`undefined`** (or it could be `null`/`{}`). When JavaScript tries to read `users.map`, it throws: ``` TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') ``` Typical reasons for this are: 1. The parent component **didn’t pass the `users` prop** at all. 2. The parent passed it but the value was **`undefined` / `null`** because data hasn’t been loaded ye…
11.4s1303 output tokens

Code Review

Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…

GPT-5.6 Terra

Here are the main areas to improve: ### Issues in the original code - **Imports inside the function**: Move `requests` and `time` imports to module scope. - **Bare `except:`**: This catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and programming errors. Catch `requests.RequestException` (and possibly JSON decoding errors) instead. - **Status code check**: Prefer `response.raise_for_status()` or `response.ok` over manually checking only for `200`. Successful responses can include other 2xx status codes. - **`== True`**: Use `if item.get("active"):` instead. - **Potential `KeyError`**: `item["name"]`, `item["id"]`, and `item["active"]` can fail if the API response is incomplete. Use `.get(…
10.6s939 output tokens

gpt-oss-20b

Below is a quick “code‑review” style list that touches the three axes you asked for – **readability**, **performance**, and **best practices**. After the bullet‑list I’ll paste a refactored version that incorporates the most common fixes. --- ## 1. Readability | Issue | Why it hurts | Quick fix | |-------|--------------|-----------| | **Imports inside the function** | Every call recompiles the import tables and makes the module’s top‑level slower. | Move `import requests` and `import time` to the module’s global header. | | **Bare `except:`** | Catches *everything* (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit, MemoryError, etc.) and swallows useful tracebacks. | Catch only the expected network-relate…
24.6s2267 output tokens

Compare on more prompts →

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GPT-5.6 Terra or gpt-oss-20b?
Per 1M output tokens, GPT-5.6 Terra is ¥2,144.4 and gpt-oss-20b is ¥25.02 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so gpt-oss-20b is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GPT-5.6 Terra and gpt-oss-20b compare?
GPT-5.6 Terra takes 1,050,000 tokens; gpt-oss-20b takes 131,072.
Which ranks higher, GPT-5.6 Terra or gpt-oss-20b?
GPT-5.6 Terra ranks higher on the public arena (GPT-5.6 Terra #20, gpt-oss-20b #179). Ranks move as the leaderboard updates.
Can I use GPT-5.6 Terra and gpt-oss-20b with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "gpt-5.6-terra" or "gpt-oss-20b" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.

Try both on one API key

Create an account and add credit to call GPT-5.6 Terra and gpt-oss-20b from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

More comparisons with GPT-5.6 Terra

More comparisons with gpt-oss-20b