Model Comparison
Kimi K3 vs o1-previewWhich is better in 2026?
Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Kimi K3 is 4.4x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Kimi K3 vs o1-preview — which is better?
Kimi K3 (by Moonshot AI) and o1-preview (by OpenAI) 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 K3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while o1-preview is better at 0 benchmarks. Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Kimi K3 is roughly 4.4x 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 want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 4.4x cheaper per token
- 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 o1-preview if…
- you want predictable pricing at $15.00/M input and $60.00/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Kimi K3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while o1-preview is better at 0 benchmarks.
Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Kimi K3 ($3.00/1M tokens) is 5.0x cheaper than o1-preview ($15.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Kimi K3 ($15.00/1M tokens) is 4.0x cheaper than o1-preview ($60.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o1-preview is more expensive than Kimi K3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Kimi K3 accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to o1-preview's 128,000 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while o1-preview is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Kimi K3 supports multimodal inputs, whereas o1-preview does not.
Kimi K3 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Kimi K3
o1-preview
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16, while o1-preview was released on 2024-09-12.
Kimi K3 is 22 months newer than o1-preview.
Jul 16, 2026
2 days ago
1.8yr newerSep 12, 2024
1.8 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
Kimi K3 is available from Moonshot AI. o1-preview is available from OpenAI, Azure.
Kimi K3
o1-preview
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Kimi K3
View detailsMoonshot AI
o1-preview
View detailsOpenAI
No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Kimi K3 and o1-preview side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Kimi K3 vs o1-preview.