Model Comparison
Grok 4.5 vs QwQ-32B-PreviewWhich is better in 2026?
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. QwQ-32B-Preview is 18.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Grok 4.5 vs QwQ-32B-Preview — which is better?
Grok 4.5 (by xAI) and QwQ-32B-Preview (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.
Grok 4.5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while QwQ-32B-Preview is better at 0 benchmarks. Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, QwQ-32B-Preview is roughly 18.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok 4.5 also accepts a larger context window (500,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Grok 4.5 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 500,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Choose QwQ-32B-Preview if…
- cost matters — it's about 18.5x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Grok 4.5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while QwQ-32B-Preview is better at 0 benchmarks.
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 13.3x more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview ($0.15/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens) is 30.0x more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview ($0.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.5 is more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok 4.5 accepts 500,000 input tokens compared to QwQ-32B-Preview's 32,768 tokens. Only QwQ-32B-Preview specifies output context (32,768 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Grok 4.5 supports multimodal inputs, whereas QwQ-32B-Preview does not.
Grok 4.5 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Grok 4.5
QwQ-32B-Preview
License
Usage and distribution terms
Grok 4.5 is licensed under a proprietary license, while QwQ-32B-Preview uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-16, while QwQ-32B-Preview was released on 2024-11-28.
Grok 4.5 is 20 months newer than QwQ-32B-Preview.
Jul 16, 2026
2 days ago
1.6yr newerNov 28, 2024
1.6 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok 4.5 has a knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-01, while QwQ-32B-Preview has a cutoff of 2024-11-28.
Grok 4.5 has more recent training data (up to 2026-02-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to QwQ-32B-Preview (2024-11-28).
Feb 2026
1.3 yr newerNov 2024
Provider Availability
Grok 4.5 is available from xAI. QwQ-32B-Preview is available from DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Fireworks, Together.
Grok 4.5
QwQ-32B-Preview
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
QwQ-32B-Preview
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok 4.5 and QwQ-32B-Preview side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Grok 4.5 vs QwQ-32B-Preview.