Grok 4 vs MiniMax M2.5
Complete pricing and performance comparison between xAI's Grok 4 and MiniMax's MiniMax M2.5.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
MiniMax M2.5
10.0x cheaper input, 12.5x cheaper output
Larger Context
Grok 4
2.0M vs 128K
Higher Quality
MiniMax M2.5
Score: 42 vs 42
Faster
Grok 4
49 vs 48 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | Grok 4 | MiniMax M2.5 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | xAI | MiniMax | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $3 | $0.3 | MiniMax M2.5 is 90% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $15 | $1.2 | MiniMax M2.5 is 92% more expensive |
| Context Window | 2.0M | 128K | 16x difference |
| Max Output | 16K | 33K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Grok 4 | MiniMax M2.5 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 42 | 42 | MiniMax M2.5 |
| Output Speed | 49 tok/s | 48 tok/s | Grok 4 |
| Time to First Token | 9.39s | 2.47s | MiniMax M2.5 |
| Value (Quality/$) | 13.8 | 139.7 | 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 | MiniMax M2.5 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0075 | $0.0007 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $0.0068 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.075 | $0.0066 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $0.068 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.750 | $0.066 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $0.684 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $7.50 | $0.660 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $6.84 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $75.00 | $6.60 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $68.40 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $7500.00 | $660.00 | MiniMax M2.5 saves $6840.00 |
Pros & Cons
Grok 4 Strengths
- +Larger context window (2.0M vs 128K)
- +Faster output (49 vs 48 tok/s)
MiniMax M2.5 Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Higher quality score (42 vs 42)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose Grok 4 for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Choose MiniMax M2.5 for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Grok 4 or MiniMax M2.5?
For input tokens, MiniMax M2.5 is 10.0x cheaper at $0.3/1M tokens. For output tokens, MiniMax M2.5 is 12.5x cheaper at $1.2/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), Grok 4 costs $7.50 vs MiniMax M2.5 at $0.660.
What's the context window difference?
Grok 4 supports 2.0M context (2,000,000 tokens), while MiniMax M2.5 supports 128K (128,000 tokens). Grok 4 can handle 16x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: Grok 4 scores 42 vs MiniMax M2.5 at 42. Speed: Grok 4 generates 49 tok/s vs MiniMax M2.5 at 48 tok/s. Time to first token: Grok 4 at 9.39s vs MiniMax M2.5 at 2.47s.
When should I choose Grok 4 over MiniMax M2.5?
Choose Grok 4 when you need: Larger context window (2.0M vs 128K), Faster output (49 vs 48 tok/s). Choose MiniMax M2.5 when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Higher max output tokens, Higher quality score (42 vs 42), 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, MiniMax M2.5 = $6.60. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): Grok 4 = $450.00, MiniMax M2.5 = $42.00.