Grok 4.3 vs Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3
Grok 4.3 (2026) and Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 (2024) are frontier reasoning models from xAI and MistralAI. Grok 4.3 ships a 1M-token context window, while Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 ships a 64K-token context window. On pricing, Grok 4.3 costs $1.25/1M input tokens versus $2/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Grok 4.3 is ~60% cheaper at $1.25/1M; pay for Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 only for provider fit.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok 4.3 | Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Agents and JSON / Tool use |
| Context window | 1M | 64K |
| Cheapest output | $2.5/1M tokens | $2/1M 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.
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 for Agents 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
Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3
$2,100
Cheapest tracked route: Replicate API
Estimated monthly gap: $475. 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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 is $0.5/1M 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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 and Grok 4.3; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Grok 4.3 is $0.5/1M 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 | 2024-07-01 |
| Context window | 1M | 64K |
| Parameters | ~0.5T | 8x22B |
| Architecture | - | mixture of experts |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-11 | 2024-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok 4.3 | Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.25/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.5/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok 4.3 | Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| 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, reasoning mode: Grok 4.3, tool use: Grok 4.3, and structured outputs: Grok 4.3. Both models share function calling, 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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 lists $2/1M input and $2/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Grok 4.3 lower by about $0.38 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 lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 when provider fit 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.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Grok 4.3 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok 4.3 supports 1M tokens, while Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 supports 64K 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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok 4.3 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Grok 4.3 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens. Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 costs $2/1M input and $2/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok 4.3 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 open source?
Grok 4.3 is listed under Proprietary. Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 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 4.3 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok 4.3 is available on xAI Console, OpenRouter, and Microsoft Foundry. Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 is available on Replicate API. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-16. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.