Grok 4 vs Llama 4 Maverick
Complete pricing and performance comparison between xAI's Grok 4 and Meta's Llama 4 Maverick.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
Llama 4 Maverick
11.1x cheaper input, 17.6x cheaper output
Larger Context
Grok 4
2.0M vs 1.0M
Higher Quality
Grok 4
Score: 42 vs 18
Faster
Llama 4 Maverick
130 vs 49 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | Grok 4 | Llama 4 Maverick | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | xAI | Meta | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $3 | $0.27 | Llama 4 Maverick is 91% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $15 | $0.85 | Llama 4 Maverick is 94% more expensive |
| Context Window | 2.0M | 1.0M | 2x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 16K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Grok 4 | Llama 4 Maverick | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 42 | 18 | Grok 4 |
| Output Speed | 49 tok/s | 130 tok/s | Llama 4 Maverick |
| Time to First Token | 9.39s | 0.48s | Llama 4 Maverick |
| Value (Quality/$) | 13.8 | 68.1 | Higher = better value |
Benchmark data from Artificial Analysis. Quality Index is a composite score across reasoning, coding, and knowledge tasks.
Cost at Scale
Estimated cost at different usage levels (3:1 input-to-output token ratio, typical for chat).
| Usage | Grok 4 | Llama 4 Maverick | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0075 | $0.0005 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.0070 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.075 | $0.0053 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.070 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.750 | $0.053 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.698 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $7.50 | $0.525 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $6.97 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $75.00 | $5.25 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $69.75 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $7500.00 | $525.00 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $6975.00 |
Pros & Cons
Grok 4 Strengths
- +Larger context window (2.0M vs 1.0M)
- +Higher quality score (42 vs 18)
Llama 4 Maverick Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Faster output (130 vs 49 tok/s)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose Grok 4 for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Choose Llama 4 Maverick for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Grok 4 or Llama 4 Maverick?
For input tokens, Llama 4 Maverick is 11.1x cheaper at $0.27/1M tokens. For output tokens, Llama 4 Maverick is 17.6x cheaper at $0.85/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), Grok 4 costs $7.50 vs Llama 4 Maverick at $0.525.
What's the context window difference?
Grok 4 supports 2.0M context (2,000,000 tokens), while Llama 4 Maverick supports 1.0M (1,048,576 tokens). Grok 4 can handle 2x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: Grok 4 scores 42 vs Llama 4 Maverick at 18. Speed: Grok 4 generates 49 tok/s vs Llama 4 Maverick at 130 tok/s. Time to first token: Grok 4 at 9.39s vs Llama 4 Maverick at 0.48s.
When should I choose Grok 4 over Llama 4 Maverick?
Choose Grok 4 when you need: Larger context window (2.0M vs 1.0M), Higher quality score (42 vs 18). Choose Llama 4 Maverick when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Faster output (130 vs 49 tok/s), Lower latency (faster first token).
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): Grok 4 = $75.00, Llama 4 Maverick = $5.25. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): Grok 4 = $450.00, Llama 4 Maverick = $35.50.