Codestral vs Mistral Large 3

Compare Mistral AI and Mistral AI AI models

Mistral AI

Codestral

Mistral AI

Mistral Large 3

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

Codestral

Per Request:$0.000750

Daily:$0.075

Monthly:$2.25

Yearly:$27.375

Mistral Large 3

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

Mistral Large 3 costs more than Codestral

Feature Comparison

Feature	Codestral	Mistral Large 3
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	256,000 tokens
Max Output	32,768 tokens	32,768 tokens
Category	balanced	flagship
Capabilities	textcode	textcodereasoning
Release Date	7/30/2025	12/2/2025

Codestral vs Mistral Large 3: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between Codestral and Mistral Large 3 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 Mistral Large 3. Meanwhile, Mistral Large 3 offers a significantly larger context window at 256,000 tokens vs 128,000 for Codestral.

These models target different tiers: Codestral is a balanced model while Mistral Large 3 is flagship. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Mistral Large 3 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 Mistral Large 3. 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're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem

Choose Mistral Large 3 when:

• You need a larger context window (256,000 tokens)
• You need more capabilities (reasoning)
• 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)

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Mistral Large 3 (Mistral AI)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Codestral or Mistral Large 3?▼

Codestral is cheaper for input tokens at $0.30 per million tokens vs $0.50 for Mistral Large 3 — that's 40% savings on input costs.

What is the context window difference between Codestral and Mistral Large 3?▼

Codestral supports 128,000 tokens while Mistral Large 3 supports 256,000 tokens — a difference of 128,000 tokens in favor of Mistral Large 3.

Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼

Both models support text. For ai chatbot, Codestral is the lower-cost option, while Mistral Large 3 offers a larger context window (256,000 vs 128,000 tokens). Choose Codestral for budget sensitivity or Mistral Large 3 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 Mistral Large 3 costs about $3.75/month. Overall, Codestral has lower combined input + output rates ($0.30 in, $0.90 out) vs Mistral Large 3.