Llama 3.1 8B vs Mistral Small 4
Compare Meta (via Together AI) and Mistral AI AI models
Cost Comparison (1000 input + 500 output tokens, 100 requests/day)
Llama 3.1 8B
Mistral Small 4
Cost Differences
Mistral Small 4 costs more than Llama 3.1 8B
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Llama 3.1 8B | Mistral Small 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Meta (via Together AI) | Mistral AI |
| Input Price | $0.18/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output Price | $0.18/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens |
| Context Window | 128,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Max Output | 32,768 tokens | 16,384 tokens |
| Category | efficient | efficient |
| Capabilities | textcode | textvisioncodereasoning |
| Release Date | 7/23/2024 | 3/18/2026 |
Llama 3.1 8B vs Mistral Small 4: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between Llama 3.1 8B and Mistral Small 4 depends on your priorities: cost efficiency, context length, or raw capability. Llama 3.1 8B is the more affordable option at $0.18/1M input tokens.
These models come from different providers — Meta (via Together AI) and Mistral AI — which means different API ecosystems, SDKs, rate limits, and terms of service. If you're already integrated with Meta (via Together AI), switching to Mistral AIinvolves migration effort beyond just pricing. Factor in your existing infrastructure when deciding.
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: Llama 3.1 8B would save you roughly $54.00/month compared to Mistral Small 4. For startups and indie developers, that difference can be significant.
Output costs matter too. Llama 3.1 8B charges $0.18/1M output tokens vs $0.60 for Mistral Small 4. For generation-heavy workloads (content creation, code generation, summarization), output pricing often dominates your bill. Llama 3.1 8B has the edge here at $0.18/1M output tokens.
Multimodal capabilities: Mistral Small 4 supports vision (image inputs) while Llama 3.1 8B is text-only. If your application needs image understanding, this narrows your choice.
Best Use Cases
Choose Llama 3.1 8B when:
- • You need longer outputs (up to 32,768 tokens)
- • You're already using Meta (via Together AI)'s API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Choose Mistral Small 4 when:
- • Budget is a primary concern
- • You need more capabilities (vision, reasoning)
- • You're already using Mistral AI's API ecosystem
- • You're running high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads
Try Different Scenarios
Use the calculator below to see how costs change with different usage patterns
Llama 3.1 8B (Meta (via Together AI))
Mistral Small 4 (Mistral AI)
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