Claude Opus 4.8 vs Grok Build 0.1
Claude Opus 4.8 (2026) and Grok Build 0.1 (2026) compare a standalone API model against a coding-specialized model. Claude Opus 4.8 ships a 1m-token context window, while Grok Build 0.1 ships a 256k-token context window. On pricing, Claude Opus 4.8 costs $5/1M input tokens; Grok Build 0.1 ranges from $1 to $2/1M input tokens by tier. This page treats the result as workflow and deployment fit, not a universal model winner.
Treat this as a product-type comparison: Claude Opus 4.8 is standalone API model, while Grok Build 0.1 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 Opus 4.8 | Grok Build 0.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Standalone API model | Coding-specialized model |
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | custom coding agents, code generation, and tool loops |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1m | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $25/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 7 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Claude Opus 4.8 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Claude Opus 4.8 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Claude Opus 4.8 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Claude Opus 4.8 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Grok Build 0.1 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Grok Build 0.1 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 Opus 4.8
$10,250
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Anthropic
Grok Build 0.1
$1,300
Cheapest tracked route/tier: xAI Console
Estimated monthly gap: $8,950. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on Vercel AI Gateway and OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok Build 0.1 is $23/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Claude Opus 4.8 is $23/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Claude Opus 4.8 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-28 | 2026-05-14 |
| Context window | 1m | 256k |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | - |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2026-01 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Claude Opus 4.8 | Grok Build 0.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $5/1M tokens |
|
| Output price | $25/1M tokens |
|
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Claude Opus 4.8 | Grok Build 0.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | Yes | No |
| Parallel agents | Yes | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Claude Opus 4.8, multimodal input: Claude Opus 4.8, and code execution: Claude Opus 4.8. Both models share reasoning mode, function calling, tool use, and structured outputs, 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 Opus 4.8 lists $5/1M input and $25/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Grok Build 0.1 lists tiered pricing: 0-200,001t is $1/1M input and $2/1M output; 200,001t+ is $2/1M input and $4/1M output. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Grok Build 0.1 lower by about $9.70 per million blended tokens. For tiered rows, this cheapest-track view can understate interactive or fast-lane spend, so compare the tier you will actually use. Availability is 7 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Claude Opus 4.8 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Grok Build 0.1 when coding workflow support and lower cheapest-tier 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 Opus 4.8 or Grok Build 0.1?
Claude Opus 4.8 supports 1m tokens, while Grok Build 0.1 supports 256k 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 Opus 4.8 or Grok Build 0.1?
Claude Opus 4.8 lists $5/1M input and $25/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. Grok Build 0.1 lists tiered pricing: 0-200,001t is $1/1M input and $2/1M output; 200,001t+ is $2/1M input and $4/1M output. Compare the tier you will actually use; cheap async pricing can overstate savings for interactive workflows. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Claude Opus 4.8 or Grok Build 0.1 open source?
Claude Opus 4.8 is listed under Proprietary. Grok Build 0.1 is listed under Proprietary. 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 Opus 4.8 or Grok Build 0.1?
Claude Opus 4.8 has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for multimodal input, Claude Opus 4.8 or Grok Build 0.1?
Claude Opus 4.8 has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run Claude Opus 4.8 and Grok Build 0.1?
Claude Opus 4.8 is available on Anthropic, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex AI, Microsoft Foundry, and OpenRouter. Grok Build 0.1 is available on xAI Console, Vercel AI Gateway, and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-28. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.