Grok-3 Mini vs Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is 11.7x cheaper per token.
xAI · Meta · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok-3 Mini outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is roughly 11.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Grok-3 Mini
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2025
Choose Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
- cost matters — it's about 11.7x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Grok-3 Mini outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.
Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok-3 Mini ($0.30/1M tokens) is 10.0x more expensive than Llama 3.1 8B Instruct ($0.03/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok-3 Mini ($0.50/1M tokens) is 16.7x more expensive than Llama 3.1 8B Instruct ($0.03/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-3 Mini is more expensive than Llama 3.1 8B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Grok-3 Mini's 128,000 tokens. Llama 3.1 8B Instruct can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-3 Mini is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Grok-3 Mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas Llama 3.1 8B Instruct does not.
Grok-3 Mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Grok-3 Mini
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
Grok-3 Mini is licensed under a proprietary license, while Llama 3.1 8B Instruct uses Llama 3.1 Community License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Llama 3.1 Community License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Grok-3 Mini was released on 2025-02-17, while Llama 3.1 8B Instruct was released on 2024-07-23.
Grok-3 Mini is 7 months newer than Llama 3.1 8B Instruct.
Feb 17, 2025
1.5 years ago
6mo newerJul 23, 2024
2.1 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok-3 Mini has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-11-17, while Llama 3.1 8B Instruct has a cutoff of 2023-12-31.
Grok-3 Mini has more recent training data (up to 2024-11-17), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Llama 3.1 8B Instruct (2023-12-31).
Nov 2024
11 mo newerDec 2023
Provider Availability
Grok-3 Mini is available from xAI. Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Groq, Sambanova, Cerebras, Hyperbolic, Together, Fireworks, Bedrock.
Grok-3 Mini
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok-3 Mini and Llama 3.1 8B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Grok-3 Mini vs Llama 3.1 8B Instruct.