Llama 3.1 405B vs Qwen2-72B
Llama 3.1 405B (2024) and Qwen2-72B (2024) are compact production models from AI at Meta and Alibaba. Llama 3.1 405B ships a 128K-token context window, while Qwen2-72B ships a 128K-token context window. On HumanEval, Llama 3.1 405B leads by 21.9 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Llama 3.1 405B is safer overall; choose Qwen2-72B when provider fit matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Llama 3.1 405B | Qwen2-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, Long context, and Classification | Coding, RAG, and Long context |
| Context window | 128K | 128K |
| Cheapest output | - | $0.65/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 0 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | HumanEval leader | 2 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Llama 3.1 405B leads the largest shared benchmark signal on HumanEval by 21.9 points.
- Local decision data tags Llama 3.1 405B for Coding, Long context, and Classification.
- Qwen2-72B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Qwen2-72B uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen2-72B for Coding, RAG, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Llama 3.1 405B
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Qwen2-72B
$523
Cheapest tracked route: DeepInfra
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Llama 3.1 405B and Qwen2-72B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Qwen2-72B adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen2-72B and Llama 3.1 405B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-07-23 | 2024-06-05 |
| Context window | 128K | 128K |
| Parameters | 405B | 72.71B |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Open Source | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-12 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Llama 3.1 405B | Qwen2-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $0.45/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $0.65/1M tokens |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | Llama 3.1 405B | Qwen2-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | No | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Llama 3.1 405B | Qwen2-72B |
|---|---|---|
| HumanEval | 89.0 | 67.1 |
| Massive Multitask Language Understanding | 88.6 | 84.2 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, HumanEval has Llama 3.1 405B at 89 and Qwen2-72B at 67.1, with Llama 3.1 405B ahead by 21.9 points; Massive Multitask Language Understanding has Llama 3.1 405B at 88.6 and Qwen2-72B at 84.2, with Llama 3.1 405B ahead by 4.4 points. The largest visible gap is 21.9 points on HumanEval, 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 structured outputs: Qwen2-72B. Both models share the core language-model surface, 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: Llama 3.1 405B has no token price sourced yet and Qwen2-72B has $0.45/1M input tokens. Provider availability is 0 tracked routes versus 4. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose Llama 3.1 405B when provider fit are central to the workload. Choose Qwen2-72B when provider fit and broader provider choice 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, Llama 3.1 405B or Qwen2-72B?
Llama 3.1 405B supports 128K tokens, while Qwen2-72B supports 128K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is Llama 3.1 405B or Qwen2-72B open source?
Llama 3.1 405B is listed under Open Source. Qwen2-72B 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 structured outputs, Llama 3.1 405B or Qwen2-72B?
Qwen2-72B has the clearer documented structured outputs signal in this comparison. If structured outputs is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run Llama 3.1 405B and Qwen2-72B?
Llama 3.1 405B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Qwen2-72B is available on Fireworks AI, DeepInfra, Together AI, and Microsoft Foundry. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
When should I pick Llama 3.1 405B over Qwen2-72B?
Llama 3.1 405B is safer overall; choose Qwen2-72B when provider fit matters. If your workload also depends on provider fit, start with Llama 3.1 405B; if it depends on provider fit, run the same evaluation with Qwen2-72B.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-16. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.