Claude Haiku 4.5 vs Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
Claude Haiku 4.5 (2025) and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B (2026) compare a standalone API model against a coding-specialized model. Claude Haiku 4.5 ships a 200k-token context window, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B ships a 262k-token context window. On SWE-bench Verified, Qwen3.6-35B-A3B leads by 0.1 pts. On pricing, Qwen3.6-35B-A3B costs $0.15/1M input tokens versus $0.80/1M for the alternative. This page treats the result as workflow and deployment fit, not a universal model winner.
Treat this as a product-type comparison: Claude Haiku 4.5 is standalone API model, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is coding-specialized model. Choose based on workflow fit before reading any benchmark or price row as decisive.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Standalone API model | Coding-specialized model |
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production | custom coding agents, code generation, and tool loops |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 200k | 262k |
| Cheapest output | $4/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 8 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 rows | SWE-bench Verified leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- Claude Haiku 4.5 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Claude Haiku 4.5 uniquely exposes Structured outputs and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Claude Haiku 4.5 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B holds a shared-benchmark lead on SWE-bench Verified, ahead by 0.1 points.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $1/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6-35B-A3B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Claude Haiku 4.5
$1,640
Cheapest tracked route/tier: AWS Bedrock
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
$370
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $1,270. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is $3/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Claude Haiku 4.5 is $3/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Claude Haiku 4.5 adds Structured outputs and Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-10-01 | 2026-04-16 |
| Context window | 200k | 262k |
| Parameters | — | 35B |
| Architecture | decoder only | moe |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-02 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.80/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output price | $4/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified | 73.3 | 73.4 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, SWE-bench Verified has Claude Haiku 4.5 at 73.3 and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B at 73.4, with Qwen3.6-35B-A3B ahead by 0.1 points. The largest visible gap is 0.1 points on SWE-bench Verified, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on structured outputs: Claude Haiku 4.5 and code execution: Claude Haiku 4.5. Both models share vision, multimodal input, function calling, and tool use, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, Claude Haiku 4.5 lists $0.80/1M input and $4/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B lists $0.15/1M input and $1/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen3.6-35B-A3B lower by about $1.35 per million blended tokens. Availability is 8 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Claude Haiku 4.5 when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.6-35B-A3B when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Claude Haiku 4.5 or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B supports 262k tokens, while Claude Haiku 4.5 supports 200k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Claude Haiku 4.5 or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Claude Haiku 4.5 costs $0.80/1M input and $4/1M output tokens. Qwen3.6-35B-A3B costs $0.15/1M input and $1/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Claude Haiku 4.5 or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B open source?
Claude Haiku 4.5 is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is listed under Apache 2.0. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for vision, Claude Haiku 4.5 or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Both Claude Haiku 4.5 and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, Claude Haiku 4.5 or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Both Claude Haiku 4.5 and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run Claude Haiku 4.5 and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Claude Haiku 4.5 is available on Microsoft Foundry, Anthropic, Snowflake Cortex, AWS Bedrock, and GCP Vertex AI. Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is available on OpenRouter and Novita AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-04. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.