Codestral vs Magistral Small
Codestral vs Magistral Small: Codestral is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.30/M vs $0.50/M input tokens), while Codestral is better for long-context tasks (128,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Codestral for lower token spend and choose Codestral when your workload needs longer context.
Compare input and output token pricing, context windows, and monthly cost estimates on one page so you can pick the cheaper model fast.
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Codestral
Magistral Small
Cost Differences
Magistral Small costs more than Codestral
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Codestral. At the default workload, Codestral saves about $1.50/month ($18.25/year) versus Magistral Small.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Codestral | Magistral Small |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Mistral AI | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $0.30/1M tokens | $0.50/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $0.90/1M tokens | $1.50/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 128,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,768 tokens | 16,384 tokens |
| Category | balanced | reasoning |
| Capabilities | textcode | textreasoning |
| Release Date | 7/30/2025 | 12/15/2025 |
Codestral vs Magistral Small: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Codestral and Magistral Small depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Codestral is the more affordable option at $0.30/1M input tokens — 40% cheaper than Magistral Small.
These models target different tiers: Codestral is a balanced model while Magistral Small is reasoning. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Magistral Small targets more demanding workloads, while Codestral provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.
Output costs matter too. Codestral charges $0.90/1M output tokens vs $1.50 for Magistral Small. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Codestral has the edge here at $0.90/1M output tokens.
Best Use Cases
Choose Codestral when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need longer outputs (up to 32,768 tokens)
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
Choose Magistral Small when:
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Codestral
- • Input pricing: $0.30/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $0.90/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.
Magistral Small
- • Input pricing: $0.50/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $1.50/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 16,384 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Codestral
- • Higher output cost than Codestral
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Codestral (Mistral AI)
Magistral Small (Mistral AI)
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