> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.everstrike.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# AI Models for Strategy Evaluation: Speed and Cost Guide
> Compare AI models for strategy evaluation — balance speed, cost per event, and reasoning depth to match the right model to your trading style.
Every AI strategy on Everstrike uses a specific model to evaluate markets and decide whether to trade. Your model choice has a direct impact on two things: how quickly each evaluation completes and how many credits each event consumes. More powerful models with deeper reasoning produce richer analysis but cost more and take longer — simpler models are faster and cheaper but less analytical. Select the model that best fits your strategy's evaluation frequency, complexity, and cost budget.
## Available Models
| Model | Typical Speed | Cost per Evaluation | Description |
| ---------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| GPT-4o-mini | 1s | \$0.000125 | Oldest model. |
| GPT-4.1 | 1.5s | \$0.0015 | Fast, expensive, and powerful. |
| GPT-4.1-mini | 1s | \$0.00015 | Default model. Best for most strategies. |
| GPT-4.1-nano | 0.5s | \$0.000075 | Very fast and inexpensive. |
| GPT-5-mini-minimal-reasoning | 3s | \$0.0002 | Balanced. |
| GPT-5-nano-minimal-reasoning | 3s | \$0.00005 | Inexpensive. |
| GPT-5-mini-low-reasoning | 5s | \$0.0004 | Moderately powerful. |
| GPT-5-nano-low-reasoning | 5s | \$0.0001 | Inexpensive and moderately powerful. |
| GPT-5-mini-medium-reasoning | 10s | \$0.0008 | Powerful. |
| GPT-5-nano-medium-reasoning | 10s | \$0.0002 | Inexpensive and powerful. |
| GPT-5-mini-high-reasoning | 20s | \$0.002 | Very powerful and expensive. |
| GPT-5-nano-high-reasoning | 20s | \$0.0004 | Powerful and inexpensive. |
Speeds listed are averages, not guarantees. Actual evaluation time also depends on prompt length and the amount of data available to the model during each run.
## Evaluation Frequency Limit
Strategies with an evaluation frequency of **15 seconds or less** can only use `GPT-4.1-nano`. This restriction ensures evaluations complete fast enough to keep up with the chosen frequency.
## Choosing the Right Model
Different strategies call for different models. Use the guidance below as a starting point:
**GPT-4.1-mini** is the default and the best balance of speed, cost, and analytical capability. Start here unless you have a specific reason to switch.
**GPT-4.1-nano** is the fastest and least expensive option. Use it for high-frequency strategies or when cost is the primary concern.
**GPT-5-mini with medium or high reasoning** provides deeper market analysis. Use it for complex prompts where reasoning quality matters more than speed or cost.
**GPT-4.1-nano** is the only model available for strategies with an evaluation frequency of 15 seconds or less.
Restricting the data available to your strategy can reduce the cost per evaluation by up to **50%**. Review the [Supported Data](/ai/supported-data) page to remove data points your prompt doesn't need.