Grok 4.1 vs Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent
Grok 4.1 (2025) and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from xAI. Grok 4.1 ships a 2M-token context window, while Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent ships a 2M-token context window. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing. The goal is to make the tradeoff clear before deeper testing.
Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent is safer overall; choose Grok 4.1 when provider fit matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok 4.1 | Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 2M | 2M |
| Cheapest output | - | $2.5/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 0 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Grok 4.1 uniquely exposes Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4.1 for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Grok 4.1
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent
$1,625
Cheapest tracked route: xAI Console
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Grok 4.1 and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent and Grok 4.1; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Grok 4.1 adds Multimodal in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-11-17 | 2026-01-01 |
| Context window | 2M | 2M |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | - | - |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok 4.1 | Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $1.25/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $2.5/1M tokens |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok 4.1 | Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | No | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on multimodal input: Grok 4.1 and structured outputs: Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent. Both models share reasoning mode, 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: Grok 4.1 has no token price sourced yet and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent has $1.25/1M input tokens. Provider availability is 0 tracked routes versus 2. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose Grok 4.1 when provider fit are central to the workload. Choose Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent when provider fit 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. It also helps separate model capability from provider packaging, which can change cost and latency. For teams standardizing a stack, that distinction is often the difference between a benchmark win and a reliable deployment.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Grok 4.1 or Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent?
Grok 4.1 supports 2M tokens, while Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent supports 2M tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is Grok 4.1 or Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent open source?
Grok 4.1 is listed under Proprietary. Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent 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 multimodal input, Grok 4.1 or Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent?
Grok 4.1 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.
Which is better for reasoning mode, Grok 4.1 or Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent?
Both Grok 4.1 and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent expose reasoning mode. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for function calling, Grok 4.1 or Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent?
Both Grok 4.1 and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent expose function calling. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run Grok 4.1 and Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent?
Grok 4.1 is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent is available on OpenRouter and xAI Console. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-14. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.