Model Comparison

GPT-5.1 Codex vs Qwen3 235B A22BWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing GPT-5.1 Codex and Qwen3 235B A22B across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: GPT-5.1 Codex vs Qwen3 235B A22B — which is better?

GPT-5.1 Codex (by OpenAI) and Qwen3 235B A22B (by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

On price, Qwen3 235B A22B is roughly 34.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-5.1 Codex also accepts a larger context window (400,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-5.1 Codex if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025

Choose Qwen3 235B A22B if…

  • cost matters — it's about 34.4x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

GPT-5.1 Codex and Qwen3 235B A22Bdon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Qwen3 235B A22B costs less

For input processing, GPT-5.1 Codex ($1.25/1M tokens) is 12.5x more expensive than Qwen3 235B A22B ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-5.1 Codex ($10.00/1M tokens) is 100.0x more expensive than Qwen3 235B A22B ($0.10/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Codex is more expensive than Qwen3 235B A22B.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-5.1 Codex
Input tokens$1.25
Output tokens$10.00
Best providerOpenAI
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 235B A22B
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerFireworks
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-5.1 Codex accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to Qwen3 235B A22B's 128,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 128,000 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-5.1 Codex
Input400,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 235B A22B
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-5.1 Codex supports multimodal inputs, whereas Qwen3 235B A22B does not.

GPT-5.1 Codex can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

GPT-5.1 Codex

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Qwen3 235B A22B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GPT-5.1 Codex is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen3 235B A22B uses Apache 2.0.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

GPT-5.1 Codex

Proprietary

Closed source

Qwen3 235B A22B

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-5.1 Codex was released on 2025-11-19, while Qwen3 235B A22B was released on 2025-04-29.

GPT-5.1 Codex is 7 months newer than Qwen3 235B A22B.

GPT-5.1 Codex

Nov 19, 2025

7 months ago

6mo newer
Qwen3 235B A22B

Apr 29, 2025

1.2 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-5.1 Codex has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while Qwen3 235B A22B's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-5.1 Codex's training data extends to 2024-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without Qwen3 235B A22B's cutoff date.

GPT-5.1 Codex

Sep 2024

Qwen3 235B A22B

Provider Availability

GPT-5.1 Codex is available from OpenAI. Qwen3 235B A22B is available from Fireworks, DeepInfra, Novita, Together.

GPT-5.1 Codex

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $1.25/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M

Qwen3 235B A22B

fireworks logo
Fireworks
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.10/1M
deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.20/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.60/1M
novita logo
Novita
Input Price:Input: $0.20/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.80/1M
together logo
Together
Input Price:Input: $0.20/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.60/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion

Key Takeaways

Larger context window (400,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Qwen3 235B A22B

View details

Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-5.1 Codex
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 235B A22B

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-5.1 Codex vs Qwen3 235B A22B.

Which is better, GPT-5.1 Codex or Qwen3 235B A22B?

GPT-5.1 Codex (OpenAI) and Qwen3 235B A22B (Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does GPT-5.1 Codex compare to Qwen3 235B A22B in benchmarks?

GPT-5.1 Codex scores SWE-Bench Verified: 73.7%, SWE-Lancer: 66.3%, Terminal-Bench 2.0: 52.8%. Qwen3 235B A22B scores Arena Hard: 95.6%, GSM8k: 94.4%, BBH: 88.9%, MMLU: 87.8%, MMLU-Redux: 87.4%.

Is GPT-5.1 Codex cheaper than Qwen3 235B A22B?

Qwen3 235B A22B is 12.5x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-5.1 Codex costs $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output via openai. Qwen3 235B A22B costs $0.10/M input and $0.10/M output via fireworks.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-5.1 Codex and Qwen3 235B A22B?

GPT-5.1 Codex supports 400K tokens and Qwen3 235B A22B supports 128K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GPT-5.1 Codex and Qwen3 235B A22B?

Key differences include context window (400K vs 128K), input pricing ($1.25 vs $0.10/M), multimodal support (yes vs no), licensing (Proprietary vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-5.1 Codex and Qwen3 235B A22B?

GPT-5.1 Codex is developed by OpenAI and Qwen3 235B A22B is developed by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team.