Devstral 2 vs Ministral 3 8B
Devstral 2 vs Ministral 3 8B: Ministral 3 8B is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.15/M vs $0.40/M input tokens), while Devstral 2 is better for long-context tasks (262,144 tokens).
Direct answer: choose Ministral 3 8B for lower token spend and choose Devstral 2 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)
Devstral 2
Ministral 3 8B
Cost Differences
Ministral 3 8B costs less than Devstral 2
Quick Recommendation
Winner for direct API pricing: Ministral 3 8B. At the default workload, Ministral 3 8B saves about $3.525/month ($42.8875/year) versus Devstral 2.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Devstral 2 | Ministral 3 8B |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Mistral AI | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $0.40/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $2.00/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 262,144 tokens | 256,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,768 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Category | efficient | efficient |
| Capabilities | textcode | textvision |
| Release Date | 12/9/2025 | 12/2/2025 |
Devstral 2 vs Ministral 3 8B: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Devstral 2 and Ministral 3 8B depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Ministral 3 8B is the more affordable option at $0.15/1M input tokens — 63% cheaper than Devstral 2. Meanwhile, Devstral 2 offers a significantly larger context window at 262,144 tokens vs 256,000 for Ministral 3 8B.
Both models are in the efficient category, making this a direct head-to-head comparison. At scale — say 10,000 requests per day — the cost difference adds up: Ministral 3 8B would save you roughly $352.50/month compared to Devstral 2. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Devstral 2 charges $2.00/1M output tokens vs $0.15 for Ministral 3 8B. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Ministral 3 8B has the edge here at $0.15/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Ministral 3 8B supports vision (image inputs) while Devstral 2 is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Devstral 2 when:
- • You need a larger context window (262,144 tokens)
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Choose Ministral 3 8B when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Pros and Caveats at a Glance
Devstral 2
- • Input pricing: $0.40/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $2.00/M tokens
- • Context window: 262,144 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Higher input cost than Ministral 3 8B
- • Higher output cost than Ministral 3 8B
Ministral 3 8B
- • Input pricing: $0.15/M tokens
- • Output pricing: $0.15/M tokens
- • Context window: 256,000 tokens
- • Max output: 32,768 tokens
Watch out for
- • Smaller context window than Devstral 2
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Devstral 2 (Mistral AI)
Ministral 3 8B (Mistral AI)
Start using Devstral 2 today
Sign Up for Mistral AI →Start using Ministral 3 8B today
Sign Up for Mistral AI →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Devstral 2 or Ministral 3 8B?▼
What is the context window difference between Devstral 2 and Ministral 3 8B?▼
Which model is better for AI Chatbot?▼
Which model has better overall pricing for heavy usage?▼
Related Comparisons
Related Articles
Learn when to pick each model, then compare live pricing scenarios.