Model comparison
MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs MiniMax M3
- Input
- $0.15
- Output
- $0.60
- Context
- 1M
- Released
- 2026-10-19
- Input
- $0.60
- Output
- $2.40
- Context
- 1M
- Released
- 2026-06-01
MiniMax M3.1 Flash is cheaper on input tokens ($0.2 vs $0.6 per 1M, 4×); MiniMax M3 ships open weights while MiniMax M3.1 Flash is API-only.
Specs and pricing side by side
| Spec | MiniMax M3.1 Flash | MiniMax M3 |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | MiniMax | MiniMaxsame |
| Released | 2026-10-19 | 2026-06-01 |
| Context window | 1M | 1Msame |
| Input price | $0.15 | $0.60 |
| Output price | $0.60 | $2.40 |
| Parameters | not published | ~428B total / ~23B active |
| License | Proprietary | MiniMax Community License |
| Weights | API only | Open weights |
| Modalities | Text, Vision | Text, Vision, Video |
Not published by either maker: max output, knowledge cutoff.
Benchmarks both models report
These two models have no benchmark in common in our registry, so there is no like-for-like score to compare. See each model’s own results: MiniMax M3.1 Flash, MiniMax M3.
Which one should you pick?
Pick MiniMax M3.1 Flash if…
- Cost matters: input tokens cost 4× less ($0.2 vs $0.6 per 1M).
- Your use case is: high-volume coding agents where cost per task matters more than a top leaderboard score.
Pick MiniMax M3 if…
- You want to self-host or fine-tune (open weights, MiniMax Community License).
- You need Video input, which MiniMax M3.1 Flash lacks.
- Your use case is: long-horizon agentic coding and software engineering.
FAQ
Which is better, MiniMax M3.1 Flash or MiniMax M3?
MiniMax M3.1 Flash is cheaper on input tokens ($0.2 vs $0.6 per 1M, 4×); MiniMax M3 ships open weights while MiniMax M3.1 Flash is API-only. The better pick depends on whether you value benchmark scores, price per token, context length or openness for your workload.
How much cheaper is MiniMax M3.1 Flash?
MiniMax M3.1 Flash: $0.15 input, $0.60 output. MiniMax M3: $0.60 input, $2.40 output (list API prices as published by each maker).
What are the context windows of MiniMax M3.1 Flash and MiniMax M3?
MiniMax M3.1 Flash offers 1M; MiniMax M3 offers 1M.
Is MiniMax M3.1 Flash newer than MiniMax M3?
MiniMax M3.1 Flash was released 2026-10-19; MiniMax M3 was released 2026-06-01.