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Grok 4 vs Qwen3.8-Max

Detailed pricing comparison and cost analysis.

Updated September 2026

Cost Simulator

Grok 4 Cost
$6.00
Qwen3.8-Max Cost
$3.20
Qwen3.8-Max is 47% cheaper
FeatureGrok 4Qwen3.8-Max
ProviderxAIAlibaba
Input Price (1M)$3.00$2.00
Output Price (1M)$15.00$6.00
Context Window256,0001,000,000

Verdict

Grok 4 costs $3.00 per 1M input tokens and $15.00 per 1M output tokens. Qwen3.8-Max costs $2.00 per 1M input tokens and $6.00 per 1M output tokens. Qwen3.8-Max is 33% cheaper on input tokens than Grok 4. For output tokens, Qwen3.8-Max is the more affordable option at $6.00/1M vs $15.00.

On context window, Qwen3.8-Max supports 1,000,000 tokens — meaning it can fit more conversation history, documents, or code in a single request. This matters for RAG pipelines, long document analysis, and agentic workflows where context builds up over many turns.

When to choose Grok 4

  • ✓ You are already integrated with xAI

When to choose Qwen3.8-Max

  • ✓ You need the lowest input token cost ($ 2.00/1M)
  • ✓ Your workload is output-heavy — Qwen3.8-Max generates text cheaper
  • ✓ You need a larger context window (1,000,000 tokens)
  • ✓ You are already integrated with Alibaba

Use the calculator above to simulate your specific workload and find the exact break-even point. For most applications, the cheapest model is the one that minimises your total monthly bill given your input-to-output token ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Grok 4 cheaper than Qwen3.8-Max?

Qwen3.8-Max is cheaper on input tokens at $2.00/1M vs $3.00/1M for Grok 4 — a 33% saving.

What is the context window of Grok 4 vs Qwen3.8-Max?

Grok 4 has a 256,000-token context window. Qwen3.8-Max has a 1,000,000-token context window. Qwen3.8-Max supports the larger context, suitable for longer documents and agentic workflows.

Which model is better: Grok 4 or Qwen3.8-Max?

The best choice depends on your use case. For cost efficiency on input tokens, Qwen3.8-Max is the cheaper option. For maximum context length, Qwen3.8-Max supports 1,000,000 tokens. Use the comparison table above to find the right fit for your workload.