Grok 4.3 vs Qwen3-Max: API Pricing
Input and output token rates, context windows, and real monthly cost for Grok 4.3 (xAI) and Qwen3-Max (Alibaba), side by side. Prices are standard on-demand rates as of June 2026.
The short answer
For a typical coding-agent workload (60M in / 12M out per month), Grok 4.3 is the cheaper option at $105/mo versus $144/mo for Qwen3-Max - about 27% less. On the headline sticker of 1M input + 1M output, Grok 4.3 is $3.75 and Qwen3-Max is $7.20.
Rates at a glance
| Grok 4.3 | Qwen3-Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Input ($/1M tokens) | $1.25 | $1.20 |
| Output ($/1M tokens) | $2.50 | $6.00 |
| Blended (1M in + 1M out) | $3.75 | $7.20 |
| Context window | 1,000K | 262K |
| Type | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Provider | xAI | Alibaba |
Monthly cost by workload
Estimated monthly API spend at each workload's token volume. Output usually costs several times input, so the winner can flip with your mix.
| Workload | Grok 4.3 | Qwen3-Max | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatbot / assistant10M in / 3M out | $20.00/mo | $30.00/mo | Grok 4.3 |
| Coding agent60M in / 12M out | $105/mo | $144/mo | Grok 4.3 |
| RAG / summarization40M in / 4M out | $60.00/mo | $72.00/mo | Grok 4.3 |
| Batch / classification20M in / 2M out | $30.00/mo | $36.00/mo | Grok 4.3 |
Want your own in/out split? Use the full interactive comparator to rank every model and provider for your exact workload.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grok 4.3 or Qwen3-Max cheaper?
It depends on your input/output mix, but for a typical coding-agent workload (60M in / 12M out per month) Grok 4.3 costs $105/mo versus $144/mo for Qwen3-Max - about 27% less. On the headline sticker (1M input + 1M output), Grok 4.3 is $3.75 and Qwen3-Max is $7.20.
What are the token rates for Grok 4.3 and Qwen3-Max?
Grok 4.3 (xAI) is $1.25 per 1M input and $2.50 per 1M output. Qwen3-Max (Alibaba) is $1.20 per 1M input and $6.00 per 1M output. These are standard on-demand rates, not cached or batch.
Is Grok 4.3 or Qwen3-Max open-weight?
Grok 4.3 is proprietary and Qwen3-Max is proprietary. Both are closed models billed only through their owner's API.
What context window do Grok 4.3 and Qwen3-Max support?
Grok 4.3 supports 1,000K tokens and Qwen3-Max supports 262K tokens. Some models also step up pricing past a size threshold - check the source pricing pages for long-context tiers.
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