MiniMax-M3 alternatives
Same input types and capabilities, at least half the context window · USD per 1M tokens
We found 10 models that can replace MiniMax-M3 ($0.30 input / $1.20 output per million tokens). 8 of them are cheaper. The cheapest, Qwen3.7 Flash, costs 89.5% less on a blended 3:1 basis: $0.56 instead of $5.40 per month for a chatbot workload (10M input / 2M output tokens).
// 10 alternatives
| model | lab | in $/1M | out $/1M | ctx | vs MiniMax-M3 | chatbot / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen3.7 Flash | Alibaba (Qwen) | $0.03 | $0.13 | 1M | −89.5% | $0.56 |
| Muse Spark 1.2 Contributor | Meta | $0.10 | $0.20 | 1.05M | −76.2% | $1.40 |
| Muse Spark 1.3 Contributor | Meta | $0.10 | $0.20 | 1.05M | −76.2% | $1.40 |
| Qwen3.5 Flash | Alibaba (Qwen) | $0.10 | $0.40 | 1M | −66.7% | $1.80 |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | $0.10 | $0.40 | 1.05M | −66.7% | $1.80 | |
| Qwen3.8 Flash | Alibaba (Qwen) | $0.15 | $0.47 | 1M | −56.2% | $2.44 |
| Qwen3.8 Omni Flash | Alibaba (Qwen) | $0.15 | $0.47 | 1M | −56.2% | $2.44 |
| MiniMax-M3.1-Flash · compare | MiniMax | $0.15 | $0.60 | 1M | −50% | $2.70 |
| Qwen3.6 Flash | Alibaba (Qwen) | $0.25 | $1.50 | 1M | +7.1% | $5.50 |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite | $0.25 | $1.50 | 1.05M | +7.1% | $5.50 |
// how we pick alternatives
An alternative must accept every input type MiniMax-M3 accepts (text, image, video), offer the same tool-calling and reasoning support, and have at least half of its 1M-token context window. Models are sorted by blended price (3 × input + output) / 4, using base-tier list prices refreshed daily.