Model Comparison

Kimi-k1.5 vs Qwen3 VL 32B ThinkingWhich is better in 2026?

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: Kimi-k1.5 vs Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking — which is better?

Kimi-k1.5 (by Moonshot AI) and Qwen3 VL 32B 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.

Kimi-k1.5 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking is better at 2 benchmarks (IFEval, MMLU). Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose Kimi-k1.5 if…

  • you are already invested in the Moonshot AI ecosystem

Choose Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

Kimi-k1.5 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking is better at 2 benchmarks (IFEval, MMLU).

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Kimi-k1.5 and Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

Kimi-k1.5

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Kimi-k1.5 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking uses Apache 2.0.

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

Kimi-k1.5

Proprietary

Closed source

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Kimi-k1.5 was released on 2025-01-20, while Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking was released on 2025-09-22.

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking is 8 months newer than Kimi-k1.5.

Kimi-k1.5

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking

Sep 22, 2025

9 months ago

8mo 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

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Key Takeaways

Moonshot AI

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

Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking

View details

Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team

Has open weights
Higher IFEval score (87.8% vs 87.2%)
Higher MMLU score (88.7% vs 87.4%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Moonshot AI
Kimi-k1.5
Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking

FAQ

Common questions about Kimi-k1.5 vs Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking.

Which is better, Kimi-k1.5 or Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking?

Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Kimi-k1.5 is made by Moonshot AI and Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking is made by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does Kimi-k1.5 compare to Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking in benchmarks?

Kimi-k1.5 scores MATH-500: 96.2%, CLUEWSC: 91.4%, C-Eval: 88.3%, MMLU: 87.4%, IFEval: 87.2%. Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking scores DocVQAtest: 96.1%, ScreenSpot: 95.7%, MMLU-Redux: 91.9%, MMBench-V1.1: 90.8%, CharXiv-D: 90.2%.

What are the main differences between Kimi-k1.5 and Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking?

Key differences include licensing (Proprietary vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Kimi-k1.5 and Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking?

Kimi-k1.5 is developed by Moonshot AI and Qwen3 VL 32B Thinking is developed by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team.

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