Grok Code Fast 1 vs Qwen3-Max
Grok Code Fast 1 (2025) and Qwen3-Max (2026) are agentic coding models from xAI and Alibaba. Grok Code Fast 1 ships a 262K-token context window, while Qwen3-Max ships a 128K-token context window. On SWE-bench Verified, Qwen3-Max leads by 8 pts. On pricing, Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.2/1M input tokens versus $0.78/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Grok Code Fast 1 is ~290% cheaper at $0.2/1M; pay for Qwen3-Max only for vision-heavy evaluation.
Specs
| Released | 2025-08-27 | 2026-01-15 |
| Context window | 262K | 128K |
| Parameters | 314B | — |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2025-12 |
Pricing and availability
| Grok Code Fast 1 | Qwen3-Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.2/1M tokens | $0.78/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.5/1M tokens | $3.9/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Grok Code Fast 1 | Qwen3-Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | ||
| Multimodal | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Function calling | ||
| Tool use | ||
| Structured outputs | ||
| Code execution |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Grok Code Fast 1 | Qwen3-Max |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified | 70.8 | 78.8 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, SWE-bench Verified has Grok Code Fast 1 at 70.8 and Qwen3-Max at 78.8, with Qwen3-Max ahead by 8 points. The largest visible gap is 8 points on SWE-bench Verified, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Qwen3-Max and multimodal input: Qwen3-Max. 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 Code Fast 1 lists $0.2/1M input and $1.5/1M output tokens, while Qwen3-Max lists $0.78/1M input and $3.9/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Grok Code Fast 1 lower by about $1.13 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 Qwen3-Max when vision-heavy evaluation are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Grok Code Fast 1 or Qwen3-Max?
Grok Code Fast 1 supports 262K tokens, while Qwen3-Max 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 Qwen3-Max?
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. Qwen3-Max costs $0.78/1M input and $3.9/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Grok Code Fast 1 or Qwen3-Max open source?
Grok Code Fast 1 is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3-Max is listed under Proprietary. 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 Code Fast 1 or Qwen3-Max?
Qwen3-Max 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 Code Fast 1 or Qwen3-Max?
Qwen3-Max 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 Code Fast 1 and Qwen3-Max?
Grok Code Fast 1 is available on OpenRouter. Qwen3-Max is available on OpenRouter. 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.