Model Comparison

Grok Code Fast 1 vs Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-ThinkingWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Grok Code Fast 1 vs Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking — which is better?

Grok Code Fast 1 (by xAI) and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking (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-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is roughly 1.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Grok Code Fast 1 also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Grok Code Fast 1 if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window

Choose Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking if…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.1x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinkingdon'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-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking costs less

For input processing, Grok Code Fast 1 ($0.20/1M tokens) is 1.3x more expensive than Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking ($0.15/1M tokens).

For output processing, Grok Code Fast 1 ($1.50/1M tokens) costs the same as Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking ($1.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Grok Code Fast 1 is more expensive than Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com
xAI
Grok Code Fast 1
Input tokens$0.20
Output tokens$1.50
Best providerxAI
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking
Input tokens$0.15
Output tokens$1.50
Best providerNovita
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Grok Code Fast 1 accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking's 65,536 tokens. Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking can generate longer responses up to 65,536 tokens, while Grok Code Fast 1 is limited to 10,000 tokens.

xAI
Grok Code Fast 1
Input256,000 tokens
Output10,000 tokens
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking
Input65,536 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

Grok Code Fast 1 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking uses Apache 2.0.

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

Grok Code Fast 1

Proprietary

Closed source

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Grok Code Fast 1 was released on 2025-08-28, while Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking was released on 2025-09-10.

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is 0 month newer than Grok Code Fast 1.

Grok Code Fast 1

Aug 28, 2025

10 months ago

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking

Sep 10, 2025

10 months ago

1w 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

Provider Availability

Grok Code Fast 1 is available from xAI. Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is available from Novita.

Grok Code Fast 1

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $0.20/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.50/1M

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking

novita logo
Novita
Input Price:Input: $0.15/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.50/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

xAI
Larger context window (256,000 tokens)
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Less expensive input tokens
Has open weights

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Grok Code Fast 1
✓ Preferred
Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
xAI
Grok Code Fast 1
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking

FAQ

Common questions about Grok Code Fast 1 vs Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking.

Which is better, Grok Code Fast 1 or Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking?

Grok Code Fast 1 (xAI) and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking (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 Grok Code Fast 1 compare to Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking in benchmarks?

Grok Code Fast 1 scores SWE-Bench Verified: 70.8%. Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking scores MMLU-Redux: 92.5%, IFEval: 88.9%, AIME 2025: 87.8%, WritingBench: 84.6%, MMLU-Pro: 82.7%.

Is Grok Code Fast 1 cheaper than Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking?

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is 1.3x cheaper for input tokens. Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.20/M input and $1.50/M output via xai. Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking costs $0.15/M input and $1.50/M output via novita.

What are the context window sizes for Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking?

Grok Code Fast 1 supports 256K tokens and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking supports 66K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking?

Key differences include context window (256K vs 66K), input pricing ($0.20 vs $0.15/M), licensing (Proprietary vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Grok Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking?

Grok Code Fast 1 is developed by xAI and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is developed by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team.

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