Model Comparison

Grok-1.5 vs Kimi K2 BaseWhich is better in 2026?

Kimi K2 Base significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: Grok-1.5 vs Kimi K2 Base — which is better?

Grok-1.5 (by xAI) and Kimi K2 Base (by Moonshot AI) 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.

Grok-1.5 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K2 Base is better at 5 benchmarks (GPQA, GSM8k, MATH, MMLU, MMLU-Pro). Kimi K2 Base significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose Grok-1.5 if…

  • you are already invested in the xAI ecosystem

Choose Kimi K2 Base if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 5 of 5 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

5 benchmarks

Grok-1.5 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K2 Base is better at 5 benchmarks (GPQA, GSM8k, MATH, MMLU, MMLU-Pro).

Kimi K2 Base significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

License

Usage and distribution terms

Grok-1.5 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Kimi K2 Base uses MIT.

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

Grok-1.5

Proprietary

Closed source

Kimi K2 Base

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Grok-1.5 was released on 2024-03-28, while Kimi K2 Base was released on 2025-07-11.

Kimi K2 Base is 16 months newer than Grok-1.5.

Grok-1.5

Mar 28, 2024

2.2 years ago

Kimi K2 Base

Jul 11, 2025

11 months ago

1.3yr newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

xAI

No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.

Moonshot AI
Has open weights
Higher GPQA score (48.1% vs 35.9%)
Higher GSM8k score (92.1% vs 90.0%)
Higher MATH score (70.2% vs 50.6%)
Higher MMLU score (87.8% vs 81.3%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (69.2% vs 51.0%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
xAI
Grok-1.5
Moonshot AI
Kimi K2 Base

FAQ

Common questions about Grok-1.5 vs Kimi K2 Base.

Which is better, Grok-1.5 or Kimi K2 Base?

Kimi K2 Base significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Grok-1.5 is made by xAI and Kimi K2 Base is made by Moonshot AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does Grok-1.5 compare to Kimi K2 Base in benchmarks?

Grok-1.5 scores GSM8k: 90.0%, DocVQA: 85.6%, MMLU: 81.3%, HumanEval: 74.1%, MMMU: 53.6%. Kimi K2 Base scores C-Eval: 92.5%, GSM8k: 92.1%, MMLU-redux-2.0: 90.2%, MMLU: 87.8%, TriviaQA: 85.1%.

What are the main differences between Grok-1.5 and Kimi K2 Base?

Key differences include licensing (Proprietary vs MIT). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Grok-1.5 and Kimi K2 Base?

Grok-1.5 is developed by xAI and Kimi K2 Base is developed by Moonshot AI.

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