Command R+ vs Mistral Medium 3.5
Command R+ vs Mistral Medium 3.5: Mistral Medium 3.5 is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($1.50/M vs $2.50/M input tokens), while Mistral Medium 3.5 is better for long-context tasks (256,000 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Mistral Medium 3.5 for lower token spend and choose Mistral Medium 3.5 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)
Command R+
Mistral Medium 3.5
Cost Differences
Mistral Medium 3.5 costs less than Command R+
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Mistral Medium 3.5. At the default workload, Mistral Medium 3.5 saves about $6.75/month ($82.125/year) versus Command R+.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Command R+ | Mistral Medium 3.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Cohere | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $2.50/1M tokens | $1.50/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $10.00/1M tokens | $7.50/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 128,000 tokens | 256,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 4,096 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | flagship | flagship |
| Capabilities | textcodereasoning | textvisioncodereasoning |
| Release Date | 4/4/2024 | 4/29/2026 |
Command R+ vs Mistral Medium 3.5: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Command R+ and Mistral Medium 3.5 depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Mistral Medium 3.5 is the more affordable option at $1.50/1M input tokens — 40% cheaper than Command R+. Meanwhile, Mistral Medium 3.5 offers a significantly larger context window at 256,000 tokens vs 128,000 for Command R+.
These models come from different providers — Cohere and Mistral AI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with Cohere, switching to Mistral AIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
Both models are in the flagship category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: Mistral Medium 3.5 would save you roughly $675.00/month compared to Command R+. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Command R+ charges $10.00/1M output tokens vs $7.50 for Mistral Medium 3.5. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Mistral Medium 3.5 has the edge here at $7.50/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Mistral Medium 3.5 supports vision (image inputs) while Command R+ is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Command R+ when:
- • You're already using Cohere's API ecosystem
Choose Mistral Medium 3.5 when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need a larger context window (256,000 tokens)
- • You need more capabilities (vision)
- • You need longer outputs (up to 32,768 tokens)
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Command R+
- • Input pricing: $2.50/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $10.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 128,000 tokens
- • Max output: 4,096 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Mistral Medium 3.5
- • Higher output cost than Mistral Medium 3.5
- • Smaller context window than Mistral Medium 3.5
Mistral Medium 3.5
- • Input pricing: $1.50/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $7.50/M tokens
- • Context window: 256,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Trade-offs are minor in this matchup.
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Command R+ (Cohere)
Mistral Medium 3.5 (Mistral AI)
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Which is cheaper, Command R+ or Mistral Medium 3.5?▼
What is the context window difference between Command R+ and Mistral Medium 3.5?▼
Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
Where can I compare Cohere and Mistral AI API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼
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