Grok Code Fast 1 vs Llama 4 Maverick 17B
Grok Code Fast 1 (2025) and Llama 4 Maverick 17B (2025) are agentic coding models from xAI and AI at Meta. Grok Code Fast 1 ships a 262K-token context window, while Llama 4 Maverick 17B ships a 128k-token context window. On pricing, Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.2/1M input tokens versus $0.24/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Llama 4 Maverick 17B is safer overall; choose Grok Code Fast 1 when coding workflow support matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Grok Code Fast 1 | Llama 4 Maverick 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 262K | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $1.5/1M tokens | $0.97/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Grok Code Fast 1 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Grok Code Fast 1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Grok Code Fast 1 uniquely exposes Function calling and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok Code Fast 1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Llama 4 Maverick 17B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.97/1M tokens.
- Llama 4 Maverick 17B uniquely exposes Multimodal and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Llama 4 Maverick 17B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Grok Code Fast 1
$535
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Llama 4 Maverick 17B
$435
Cheapest tracked route: AWS Bedrock
Estimated monthly gap: $101. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Grok Code Fast 1 and Llama 4 Maverick 17B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Llama 4 Maverick 17B is $0.53/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Function calling and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- Llama 4 Maverick 17B adds Multimodal and Code execution in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Llama 4 Maverick 17B and Grok Code Fast 1; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Grok Code Fast 1 is $0.53/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Multimodal and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Grok Code Fast 1 adds Function calling and Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-08-27 | 2025-10-01 |
| Context window | 262K | 128k |
| Parameters | 314B | 17 |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | - |
| License | Proprietary | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2024-08 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Grok Code Fast 1 | Llama 4 Maverick 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.2/1M tokens | $0.24/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.5/1M tokens | $0.97/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Grok Code Fast 1 | Llama 4 Maverick 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on multimodal input: Llama 4 Maverick 17B, function calling: Grok Code Fast 1, tool use: Grok Code Fast 1, and code execution: Llama 4 Maverick 17B. Both models share 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 Code Fast 1 lists $0.2/1M input and $1.5/1M output tokens, while Llama 4 Maverick 17B lists $0.24/1M input and $0.97/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Llama 4 Maverick 17B lower by about $0.13 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Grok Code Fast 1 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Llama 4 Maverick 17B when coding workflow support 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 Code Fast 1 or Llama 4 Maverick 17B?
Grok Code Fast 1 supports 262K tokens, while Llama 4 Maverick 17B supports 128k 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 Code Fast 1 or Llama 4 Maverick 17B?
Grok Code Fast 1 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.2/1M input and $1.5/1M output tokens. Llama 4 Maverick 17B costs $0.24/1M input and $0.97/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok Code Fast 1 or Llama 4 Maverick 17B open source?
Grok Code Fast 1 is listed under Proprietary. Llama 4 Maverick 17B 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 multimodal input, Grok Code Fast 1 or Llama 4 Maverick 17B?
Llama 4 Maverick 17B 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 function calling, Grok Code Fast 1 or Llama 4 Maverick 17B?
Grok Code Fast 1 has the clearer documented function calling signal in this comparison. If function calling is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run Grok Code Fast 1 and Llama 4 Maverick 17B?
Grok Code Fast 1 is available on OpenRouter, Microsoft Foundry, and xAI Console. Llama 4 Maverick 17B is available on AWS Bedrock. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-20. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.