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Codestral vs Magistral Small

Compare Mistral AI and Mistral AI AI models

Mistral AI
Codestral
vs
Mistral AI
Magistral Small

Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)

Codestral

Per Request:$0.000750
Daily:$0.075
Monthly:$2.25
Yearly:$27.375

Magistral Small

Per Request:$0.001250
Daily:$0.125
Monthly:$3.75
Yearly:$45.625

Cost Differences

+$0.000500
Per Request
+$0.05
Daily
+$1.50
Monthly
+$18.25
Yearly

Magistral Small costs more than Codestral

Feature Comparison

FeatureCodestralMagistral Small
ProviderMistral AIMistral AI
Input Price$0.30/1M tokens$0.50/1M tokens
Output Price$0.90/1M tokens$1.50/1M tokens
Context Window128,000 tokens128,000 tokens
Max Output32,768 tokens16,384 tokens
Categorybalancedreasoning
Capabilities
textcode
textreasoning
Release Date7/30/202512/15/2025

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 tokens40% 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

Try Different Scenarios

Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns

Codestral (Mistral AI)

Magistral Small (Mistral AI)

Start using Codestral today

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Start using Magistral Small today

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Codestral or Magistral Small?
Codestral is cheaper for input tokens at $0.30 per million tokens vs $0.50 for Magistral Small — that's 40% savings on input costs.
What is the context window difference between Codestral and Magistral Small?
Codestral supports 128,000 tokens while Magistral Small supports 128,000 tokens — a difference of 0 tokens in favor of Codestral.
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?
Both models support text. For ai chatbot, Codestral is the lower-cost option, while Codestral offers a larger context window (128,000 vs 128,000 tokens). Choose Codestral for budget sensitivity or Codestral for longer context tasks.
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?
At 100 requests/day with 1,000 input and 500 output tokens each, Codestral costs about $2.25/month and Magistral Small costs about $3.75/month. Overall, Codestral has lower combined input + output rates ($0.30 in, $0.90 out) vs Magistral Small.

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