Qwen3-235B-A22B vs Qwen3.6-Max
Qwen3-235B-A22B (2025) and Qwen3.6-Max (2026) are compact production models from Alibaba. Qwen3-235B-A22B ships a 128k-token context window, while Qwen3.6-Max ships a 262k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3.6-Max leads by 5.7 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Qwen3.6-Max is safer overall; choose Qwen3-235B-A22B when provider fit matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Qwen3-235B-A22B | Qwen3.6-Max |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | multimodal apps |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Long context | Long context and Vision |
| Context window | 128k | 262k |
| Cheapest output | $0.58/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 shared | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- Qwen3-235B-A22B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Qwen3-235B-A22B uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3-235B-A22B for Coding, RAG, and Long context.
- Qwen3.6-Max holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 5.7 points.
- Qwen3.6-Max has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.6-Max uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6-Max for Long context and Vision.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Qwen3-235B-A22B
$217
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Novita AI
Qwen3.6-Max
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen3-235B-A22B and Qwen3.6-Max; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.6-Max adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen3.6-Max and Qwen3-235B-A22B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3-235B-A22B adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-04-29 | 2026-04-13 |
| Context window | 128k | 262k |
| Parameters | 235B | — |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | - |
| License | Apache 2.0OSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Qwen3-235B-A22B | Qwen3.6-Max |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.09/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $0.58/1M tokens | - |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Qwen3-235B-A22B | Qwen3.6-Max |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Qwen3-235B-A22B | Qwen3.6-Max |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 86.1 | 91.8 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Qwen3-235B-A22B at 86.1 and Qwen3.6-Max at 91.8, with Qwen3.6-Max ahead by 5.7 points. The largest visible gap is 5.7 points on Google-Proof Q&A, 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: Qwen3.6-Max, multimodal input: Qwen3.6-Max, and structured outputs: Qwen3-235B-A22B. 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: Qwen3-235B-A22B has $0.09/1M input tokens and Qwen3.6-Max has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 5 tracked routes versus 1. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose Qwen3-235B-A22B when provider fit and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.6-Max when long-context analysis and larger context windows 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, Qwen3-235B-A22B or Qwen3.6-Max?
Qwen3.6-Max supports 262k tokens, while Qwen3-235B-A22B supports 128k 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.
Is Qwen3-235B-A22B or Qwen3.6-Max open source?
Qwen3-235B-A22B is listed under Apache 2.0. Qwen3.6-Max 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, Qwen3-235B-A22B or Qwen3.6-Max?
Qwen3.6-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, Qwen3-235B-A22B or Qwen3.6-Max?
Qwen3.6-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.
Which is better for structured outputs, Qwen3-235B-A22B or Qwen3.6-Max?
Qwen3-235B-A22B 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 Qwen3-235B-A22B and Qwen3.6-Max?
Qwen3-235B-A22B is available on Fireworks AI, AWS Bedrock, OpenRouter, Venice AI, and Novita AI. Qwen3.6-Max is available on Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.