Grok 3 Mini vs Mistral Medium 3.5

Grok 3 Mini vs Mistral Medium 3.5: Grok 3 Mini is cheaper for input-heavy usage ($0.30/M vs $1.50/M input tokens), while Mistral Medium 3.5 is better for long-context tasks (256,000 tokens).

Direct answer: choose Grok 3 Mini 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.

xAI

Grok 3 Mini

Mistral AI

Mistral Medium 3.5

Try xAI →Try Mistral AI →

Grok 3 Mini pricing page Mistral Medium 3.5 pricing page xAI provider overview Mistral AI provider overview

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

Grok 3 Mini

Per Request:$0.000550

Daily:$0.055

Monthly:$1.65

Yearly:$20.075

Mistral Medium 3.5

Per Request:$0.005250

Daily:$0.525

Monthly:$15.75

Yearly:$191.625

Cost Differences

+$0.004700

Per Request

+$0.47

Daily

+$14.10

Monthly

+$171.55

Yearly

Mistral Medium 3.5 costs more than Grok 3 Mini

Quick Recommendation

Winner for direct API pricing: Grok 3 Mini. At the default workload, Grok 3 Mini saves about $14.10/month ($171.55/year) versus Mistral Medium 3.5.

Grok 3 Mini full pricing breakdown Mistral Medium 3.5 full pricing breakdown xAI API pricing details Mistral AI API pricing details xAI vs Mistral AI API pricing Codex Mini vs Mistral Medium 3.5 Codex Mini vs Mistral Large 3

Feature Comparison

Feature	Grok 3 Mini	Mistral Medium 3.5
Provider	xAI	Mistral AI
Input Price	$0.30/1M tokens	$1.50/1M tokens
Output Price	$0.50/1M tokens	$7.50/1M tokens
Context Window	128,000 tokens	256,000 tokens
Max Output	131,072 tokens	32,768 tokens
Category	efficient	flagship
Capabilities	textreasoningcode	textvisioncodereasoning
Release Date	2/17/2025	4/29/2026

Grok 3 Mini vs Mistral Medium 3.5: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between Grok 3 Mini and Mistral Medium 3.5 depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Grok 3 Mini is the more affordable option at $0.30/1M input tokens — 80% cheaper than Mistral Medium 3.5. Meanwhile, Mistral Medium 3.5 offers a significantly larger context window at 256,000 tokens vs 128,000 for Grok 3 Mini.

These models come from different providers — xAI and Mistral AI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with xAI, switching to Mistral AIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.

These models target different tiers: Grok 3 Mini is a efficient model while Mistral Medium 3.5 is flagship. This means they're optimized for different workloads. Mistral Medium 3.5 targets more demanding workloads, while Grok 3 Mini provides a cost-effective option for everyday tasks.

Output costs matter too. Grok 3 Mini charges $0.50/1M 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. Grok 3 Mini has the edge here at $0.50/1M output tokens.

Multimodal capabilities: Mistral Medium 3.5 supports vision (image inputs) while Grok 3 Mini is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.

Best Use Cases

Choose Grok 3 Mini when:

• Budget is a primary concern
• You need longer outputs (up to 131,072 tokens)
• You're already using xAI's API ecosystem
• You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads

Choose Mistral Medium 3.5 when:

• You need a larger context window (256,000 tokens)
• You need more capabilities (vision)
• You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem

Pros and Caveats at a Glance

Grok 3 Mini

• Input pricing: $0.30/M tokens
• Output pricing: $0.50/M tokens
• Context window: 128,000 tokens
• Max output: 131,072 tokens

Watch out for

• 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

• Higher input cost than Grok 3 Mini
• Higher output cost than Grok 3 Mini

Try Different Scenarios

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

Grok 3 Mini (xAI)

Cost Calculator

Provider

Model

Input Tokens

Output Tokens

Requests/Day

Select a provider and model to see costs

Mistral Medium 3.5 (Mistral AI)

Cost Calculator

Provider

Model

Input Tokens

Output Tokens

Requests/Day

Select a provider and model to see costs

Start using Grok 3 Mini today

Start using Mistral Medium 3.5 today

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Grok 3 Mini or Mistral Medium 3.5?▼

Grok 3 Mini is cheaper for input tokens at $0.30 per million tokens vs $1.50 for Mistral Medium 3.5 — that's 80% savings on input costs.

What is the context window difference between Grok 3 Mini and Mistral Medium 3.5?▼

Grok 3 Mini supports 128,000 tokens while Mistral Medium 3.5 supports 256,000 tokens — a difference of 128,000 tokens in favor of Mistral Medium 3.5.

Which model is better for AI Agent / Agentic Workflows?▼

Both models support text, code, reasoning. For ai agent / agentic workflows, Grok 3 Mini is the lower-cost option, while Mistral Medium 3.5 offers a larger context window (256,000 vs 128,000 tokens). Choose Grok 3 Mini for budget sensitivity or Mistral Medium 3.5 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, Grok 3 Mini costs about $1.65/month and Mistral Medium 3.5 costs about $15.75/month. Overall, Grok 3 Mini has lower combined input + output rates ($0.30 in, $0.50 out) vs Mistral Medium 3.5.

Where can I compare xAI and Mistral AI API pricing beyond this model matchup?▼

See the xAI vs Mistral AI provider comparison page for lineup-level averages, then review each model page for exact per-token rates.