Command R+ vs Nova Lite
Nova Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Nova Lite is 4.2x cheaper per token.
Cohere · Amazon · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Command R+ outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Nova Lite is better at 3 benchmarks (ARC-C, GSM8k, MMLU). Nova Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Nova Lite is roughly 4.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Nova Lite also accepts a larger context window (300,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Command R+
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Nova Lite
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 4.2x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 300,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2024
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Command R+ outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Nova Lite is better at 3 benchmarks (ARC-C, GSM8k, MMLU).
Nova Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Command R+ ($0.25/1M tokens) is 4.2x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.06/1M tokens).
For output processing, Command R+ ($1.00/1M tokens) is 4.2x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.24/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Command R+ is more expensive than Nova Lite.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Nova Lite accepts 300,000 input tokens compared to Command R+'s 128,000 tokens. Command R+ can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Nova Lite is limited to 2,048 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Nova Lite supports multimodal inputs, whereas Command R+ does not.
Nova Lite can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Command R+
Nova Lite
License
Usage and distribution terms
Command R+ is licensed under CC BY-NC, while Nova Lite uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
CC BY-NC
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Command R+ was released on 2024-08-30, while Nova Lite was released on 2024-11-20.
Nova Lite is 3 months newer than Command R+.
Aug 30, 2024
2.0 years ago
Nov 20, 2024
1.8 years ago
2mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
Command R+ is available from Cohere, Bedrock. Nova Lite is available from Bedrock.
Command R+
Nova Lite
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Command R+ and Nova Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Command R+ vs Nova Lite.