Grok 3 Mini vs Mixtral 8x7B
Grok 3 Mini (2025) and Mixtral 8x7B (2023) are compact production models from xAI and MistralAI. Grok 3 Mini ships a 131k-token context window, while Mixtral 8x7B ships a 32k-token context window. On pricing, Mixtral 8x7B costs $0.15/1M input tokens versus $0.25/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Mixtral 8x7B is ~67% cheaper at $0.15/1M; pay for Grok 3 Mini only for long-context analysis.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok 3 Mini | Mixtral 8x7B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps and provider-routed production | provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | RAG, Long context, and Vision | Coding and Classification |
| Context window | 131k | 32k |
| Cheapest output | $1.27/1M tokens | $0.45/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 18 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Grok 3 Mini has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Grok 3 Mini uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 3 Mini for RAG, Long context, and Vision.
- Mixtral 8x7B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.45/1M tokens.
- Mixtral 8x7B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Mixtral 8x7B for Coding and Classification.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Grok 3 Mini
$518
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Microsoft Foundry
Mixtral 8x7B
$233
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Mistral AI Studio
Estimated monthly gap: $285. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on Microsoft Foundry; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Mixtral 8x7B is $0.82/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on Microsoft Foundry; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok 3 Mini is $0.82/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Grok 3 Mini adds Vision, Multimodal, and Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-02-17 | 2023-12-11 |
| Context window | 131k | 32k |
| Parameters | — | 8x7B |
| Architecture | - | mixture of experts |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-11 | 2023-12 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok 3 Mini | Mixtral 8x7B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.25/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.27/1M tokens | $0.45/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok 3 Mini | Mixtral 8x7B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Grok 3 Mini, multimodal input: Grok 3 Mini, and structured outputs: Grok 3 Mini. Both models share the core language-model surface, 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, Grok 3 Mini lists $0.25/1M input and $1.27/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Mixtral 8x7B lists $0.15/1M input and $0.45/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Mixtral 8x7B lower by about $0.32 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 18, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Grok 3 Mini when long-context analysis and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose Mixtral 8x7B when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Grok 3 Mini or Mixtral 8x7B?
Grok 3 Mini supports 131k tokens, while Mixtral 8x7B supports 32k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Grok 3 Mini or Mixtral 8x7B?
Mixtral 8x7B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Grok 3 Mini costs $0.25/1M input and $1.27/1M output tokens. Mixtral 8x7B costs $0.15/1M input and $0.45/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok 3 Mini or Mixtral 8x7B open source?
Grok 3 Mini is listed under Proprietary. Mixtral 8x7B 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, Grok 3 Mini or Mixtral 8x7B?
Grok 3 Mini 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, Grok 3 Mini or Mixtral 8x7B?
Grok 3 Mini 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 Grok 3 Mini and Mixtral 8x7B?
Grok 3 Mini is available on OpenRouter and Microsoft Foundry. Mixtral 8x7B is available on Databricks Foundation Model Serving, NVIDIA NIM, GCP Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock, and OctoAI API (Deprecated). Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-04. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.