Qwen3.5-397B-A17B vs Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B (2026) and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B (2026) compare a standalone API model against a coding-specialized model. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ships a 262k-token context window, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B ships a 262k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Qwen3.5-397B-A17B leads by 2.6 pts. On pricing, Qwen3.6-35B-A3B costs $0.15/1M input tokens versus $0.39/1M for the alternative. This page treats the result as workflow and deployment fit, not a universal model winner.
Treat this as a product-type comparison: Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is standalone API model, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is coding-specialized model. Choose based on workflow fit before reading any benchmark or price row as decisive.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Standalone API model | Coding-specialized model |
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | custom coding agents, code generation, and tool loops |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 262k | 262k |
| Cheapest output | $2.34/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 4 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 5 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 2.6 points.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B uniquely exposes Reasoning and Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-397B-A17B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B holds a shared-benchmark lead on AIME 2026, ahead by 1.4 points.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $1/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6-35B-A3B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
$897
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
$370
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $527. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Novita AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is $1.34/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning and Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Novita AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is $1.34/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B adds Reasoning and Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-16 | 2026-04-16 |
| Context window | 262k | 262k |
| Parameters | 397B | 35B |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | Mixture of Experts |
| License | Apache 2.0OSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Weights | Available | Available |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.39/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.34/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| JSON / Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 87.8 | 85.2 |
| SWE-bench Verified | 76.2 | 73.4 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 89.3 | 86.0 |
| LiveCodeBench | 83.6 | 80.4 |
| AIME 2026 | 91.3 | 92.7 |
Continue comparing
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.