Grok 4.3 vs Qwen3.6-27B
Grok 4.3 (2026) and Qwen3.6-27B (2026) are agentic coding models from xAI and Alibaba. Grok 4.3 ships a 1M-token context window, while Qwen3.6-27B ships a 262K-token context window. On pricing, Qwen3.6-27B costs $0.32/1M input tokens versus $1.25/1M 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.
Qwen3.6-27B is ~291% cheaper at $0.32/1M; pay for Grok 4.3 only for long-context analysis.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok 4.3 | Qwen3.6-27B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1M | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $2.5/1M tokens | $3.2/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 2 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 the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.5/1M tokens.
- Grok 4.3 uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4.3 for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6-27B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
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
Qwen3.6-27B
$1,056
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $569. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.6-27B is $0.7/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok 4.3 is $0.7/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Grok 4.3 adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-05 | 2026-04-27 |
| Context window | 1M | 262K |
| Parameters | ~0.5T | 27B |
| Architecture | - | dense |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok 4.3 | Qwen3.6-27B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.25/1M tokens | $0.32/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.5/1M tokens | $3.2/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok 4.3 | Qwen3.6-27B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| 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 structured outputs: Grok 4.3. Both models share vision, multimodal input, reasoning mode, and 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 Qwen3.6-27B lists $0.32/1M input and $3.2/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen3.6-27B lower by about $0.44 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Grok 4.3 when long-context analysis and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.6-27B when coding workflow support 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. 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 4.3 or Qwen3.6-27B?
Grok 4.3 supports 1M tokens, while Qwen3.6-27B supports 262K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is cheaper, Grok 4.3 or Qwen3.6-27B?
Qwen3.6-27B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Grok 4.3 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens. Qwen3.6-27B costs $0.32/1M input and $3.2/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok 4.3 or Qwen3.6-27B open source?
Grok 4.3 is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.6-27B 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 Qwen3.6-27B?
Both Grok 4.3 and Qwen3.6-27B expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. 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 Qwen3.6-27B?
Both Grok 4.3 and Qwen3.6-27B expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run Grok 4.3 and Qwen3.6-27B?
Grok 4.3 is available on xAI Console and OpenRouter. Qwen3.6-27B is available on OpenRouter and Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. 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.