Grok 4.6 vs MiniMax M3
Grok 4.6 leads the LLM Stats Score 46.7 to 41.4. MiniMax M3 is 6.2x cheaper per token.
xAI · MiniMax · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok 4.6 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 46.7 to 41.4, ranking #25 overall.
In the 1 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Grok 4.6 wins 1; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, MiniMax M3 is roughly 6.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
MiniMax M3 also accepts a larger context window (524,288 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Grok 4.6
- overall performance matters — it scores 46.7 and ranks #25 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 1 of 1 exact shared results
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
Choose MiniMax M3
- cost matters — it's about 6.2x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 524,288 token context window
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
11 reported for Grok 4.6 · 35 for MiniMax M3
Grok 4.6 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (APEX-Agents), while MiniMax M3 is better at 0 benchmarks.
Grok 4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Grok 4.6 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 7.1x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($0.28/1M tokens).
For output processing, Grok 4.6 ($6.00/1M tokens) is 5.5x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($1.10/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.6 is more expensive than MiniMax M3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
MiniMax M3 accepts 524,288 input tokens compared to Grok 4.6's 500,000 tokens. Only MiniMax M3 specifies output context (524,288 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Grok 4.6 and MiniMax M3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Grok 4.6
MiniMax M3
License
Usage and distribution terms
Grok 4.6 is licensed under a proprietary license, while MiniMax M3 uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Grok 4.6 was released on 2026-08-12, while MiniMax M3 was released on 2026-06-01.
Grok 4.6 is 2 months newer than MiniMax M3.
Aug 12, 2026
1 months ago
2mo newerJun 1, 2026
3 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok 4.6 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-01, while MiniMax M3's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Grok 4.6's training data extends to 2026-02-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without MiniMax M3's cutoff date.
Feb 2026
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Provider Availability
Grok 4.6 is available from xAI. MiniMax M3 is available from DeepInfra, Fireworks, MiniMax, Novita, Together.
Grok 4.6
MiniMax M3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Grok 4.6 and MiniMax M3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Grok 4.6 vs MiniMax M3.