Grok Code Fast 1 vs Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3
Grok Code Fast 1 (2025) and Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 (2024) are agentic coding models from xAI and MistralAI. Grok Code Fast 1 ships a 262K-token context window, while Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 ships a 64K-token context window. On pricing, Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.2/1M input tokens versus $2/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Grok Code Fast 1 is ~900% cheaper at $0.2/1M; pay for Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 only for provider fit.
Specs
| Released | 2025-08-27 | 2024-07-01 |
| Context window | 262K | 64K |
| Parameters | 314B | 8x22B |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | mixture of experts |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Grok Code Fast 1 | Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.2/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.5/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Grok Code Fast 1 | Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | ||
| Multimodal | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Function calling | ||
| Tool use | ||
| Structured outputs | ||
| Code execution |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on tool use: Grok Code Fast 1 and structured outputs: Grok Code Fast 1. 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 Code Fast 1 lists $0.2/1M input and $1.5/1M 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 Code Fast 1 lower by about $1.41 per million blended tokens. Availability is 1 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 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 Code Fast 1 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok Code Fast 1 supports 262K 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 Code Fast 1 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
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. 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 Code Fast 1 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 open source?
Grok Code Fast 1 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 function calling, Grok Code Fast 1 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Both Grok Code Fast 1 and Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 expose function calling. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for tool use, Grok Code Fast 1 or Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok Code Fast 1 has the clearer documented tool use signal in this comparison. If tool use 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 Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3?
Grok Code Fast 1 is available on OpenRouter. Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.3 is available on Replicate API. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-24. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.