Grok 4.3 vs Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite
Grok 4.3 (2026) and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite (2025) are frontier reasoning models from xAI and AI at Meta. Grok 4.3 ships a 1M-token context window, while Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite ships a 8K-token context window. On pricing, Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite costs $0.1/1M input tokens versus $1.25/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is ~1150% cheaper at $0.1/1M; pay for Grok 4.3 only for reasoning depth.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok 4.3 | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Agents, Classification, and JSON / Tool use |
| Context window | 1M | 8K |
| Cheapest output | $2.5/1M tokens | $0.1/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Grok 4.3 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Grok 4.3 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Grok 4.3 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4.3 for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.1/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite for Agents, Classification, and JSON / Tool use.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Grok 4.3
$1,625
Cheapest tracked route: xAI Console
Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite
$105
Cheapest tracked route: Together AI
Estimated monthly gap: $1,520. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Grok 4.3 and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is $2.4/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite and Grok 4.3; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Grok 4.3 is $2.4/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Grok 4.3 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-05 | 2025-07-15 |
| Context window | 1M | 8K |
| Parameters | ~0.5T | 8B |
| Architecture | - | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-11 | 2024-03 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok 4.3 | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.25/1M tokens | $0.1/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.5/1M tokens | $0.1/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok 4.3 | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Grok 4.3, multimodal input: Grok 4.3, and reasoning mode: Grok 4.3. Both models share 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, Grok 4.3 lists $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens, while Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite lists $0.1/1M input and $0.1/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite lower by about $1.52 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Grok 4.3 when reasoning depth, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite when provider fit 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. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Grok 4.3 or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Grok 4.3 supports 1M tokens, while Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite supports 8K 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 4.3 or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Grok 4.3 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens. Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite costs $0.1/1M input and $0.1/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok 4.3 or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite open source?
Grok 4.3 is listed under Proprietary. Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is listed under Open Source. 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 4.3 or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Grok 4.3 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. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, Grok 4.3 or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Grok 4.3 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 4.3 and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Grok 4.3 is available on xAI Console, OpenRouter, and Microsoft Foundry. Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is available on Together AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.