Model Comparison

Kimi K3 vs Nova 2 SonicWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Kimi K3 vs Nova 2 Sonic — which is better?

Kimi K3 (by Moonshot AI) and Nova 2 Sonic (by Amazon) 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, Nova 2 Sonic is roughly 6.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Kimi K3 also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Kimi K3 if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Choose Nova 2 Sonic if…

  • cost matters — it's about 6.4x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonicdon'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

Nova 2 Sonic costs less

For input processing, Kimi K3 ($3.00/1M tokens) is 9.1x more expensive than Nova 2 Sonic ($0.33/1M tokens).

For output processing, Kimi K3 ($15.00/1M tokens) is 5.5x more expensive than Nova 2 Sonic ($2.75/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Kimi K3 is more expensive than Nova 2 Sonic.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerUnknown Organization
Amazon
Nova 2 Sonic
Input tokens$0.33
Output tokens$2.75
Best providerAWS Bedrock
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Kimi K3 accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Nova 2 Sonic's 1,000,000 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Nova 2 Sonic is limited to 65,536 tokens.

Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output1,048,576 tokens
Amazon
Nova 2 Sonic
Input1,000,000 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic support multimodal inputs.

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

Kimi K3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Nova 2 Sonic

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16, while Nova 2 Sonic was released on 2025-12-02.

Kimi K3 is 8 months newer than Nova 2 Sonic.

Kimi K3

Jul 16, 2026

5 days ago

7mo newer
Nova 2 Sonic

Dec 2, 2025

7 months ago

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

Kimi K3 is available from Moonshot AI. Nova 2 Sonic is available from Bedrock.

Kimi K3

moonshot logo
Unknown Organization
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M

Nova 2 Sonic

bedrock logo
AWS Bedrock
Input Price:Input: $0.33/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.75/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Moonshot AI
Larger context window (1,048,576 tokens)
Has open weights
Amazon
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Kimi K3
✓ Preferred
Nova 2 Sonic
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Amazon
Nova 2 Sonic

FAQ

Common questions about Kimi K3 vs Nova 2 Sonic.

Which is better, Kimi K3 or Nova 2 Sonic?

Kimi K3 (Moonshot AI) and Nova 2 Sonic (Amazon) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does Kimi K3 compare to Nova 2 Sonic in benchmarks?

Kimi K3 scores MathVision: 97.8%, DeepSearchQA: 95.0%, GPQA: 93.5%, CharXiv-R: 91.3%, BrowseComp: 91.2%. Nova 2 Sonic scores Big Bench Audio: 87.0%, BFCL: 74.5%, ComplexFuncBench: 65.2%, IFBench: 37.5%.

Is Kimi K3 cheaper than Nova 2 Sonic?

Nova 2 Sonic is 9.1x cheaper for input tokens. Kimi K3 costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via moonshot. Nova 2 Sonic costs $0.33/M input and $2.75/M output via bedrock.

What are the context window sizes for Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic?

Kimi K3 supports 1.0M tokens and Nova 2 Sonic supports 1.0M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 1.0M), input pricing ($3.00 vs $0.33/M), licensing (Unknown vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Kimi K3 and Nova 2 Sonic?

Kimi K3 is developed by Moonshot AI and Nova 2 Sonic is developed by Amazon.

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