Kimi K2.5 vs Llama 4 Maverick
Complete pricing and performance comparison between Moonshot's Kimi K2.5 and Meta's Llama 4 Maverick.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
Llama 4 Maverick
2.2x cheaper input, 3.5x cheaper output
Larger Context
Llama 4 Maverick
1.0M vs 128K
Higher Quality
Kimi K2.5
Score: 47 vs 18
Faster
Llama 4 Maverick
130 vs 46 tok/s
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | Kimi K2.5 | Llama 4 Maverick | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | Moonshot | Meta | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.6 | $0.27 | Llama 4 Maverick is 55% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $3 | $0.85 | Llama 4 Maverick is 72% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 1.0M | 8x difference |
| Max Output | 33K | 16K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Kimi K2.5 | Llama 4 Maverick | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 47 | 18 | Kimi K2.5 |
| Output Speed | 46 tok/s | 130 tok/s | Llama 4 Maverick |
| Time to First Token | 1.05s | 0.48s | Llama 4 Maverick |
| Value (Quality/$) | 78.0 | 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 | Kimi K2.5 | Llama 4 Maverick | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0015 | $0.0005 | Same |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.015 | $0.0053 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.0098 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.150 | $0.053 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.097 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $1.50 | $0.525 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $0.975 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $15.00 | $5.25 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $9.75 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $1500.00 | $525.00 | Llama 4 Maverick saves $975.00 |
Pros & Cons
Kimi K2.5 Strengths
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Higher quality score (47 vs 18)
Llama 4 Maverick Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Larger context window (1.0M vs 128K)
- +Faster output (130 vs 46 tok/s)
- +Lower latency (faster first token)
When to Use Each Model
Choose Kimi K2.5 for
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Choose Llama 4 Maverick for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Real-time applications, chat, or autocomplete
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Kimi K2.5 or Llama 4 Maverick?
For input tokens, Llama 4 Maverick is 2.2x cheaper at $0.27/1M tokens. For output tokens, Llama 4 Maverick is 3.5x cheaper at $0.85/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), Kimi K2.5 costs $1.50 vs Llama 4 Maverick at $0.525.
What's the context window difference?
Kimi K2.5 supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while Llama 4 Maverick supports 1.0M (1,048,576 tokens). Llama 4 Maverick can handle 8x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: Kimi K2.5 scores 47 vs Llama 4 Maverick at 18. Speed: Kimi K2.5 generates 46 tok/s vs Llama 4 Maverick at 130 tok/s. Time to first token: Kimi K2.5 at 1.05s vs Llama 4 Maverick at 0.48s.
When should I choose Kimi K2.5 over Llama 4 Maverick?
Choose Kimi K2.5 when you need: Higher max output tokens, Higher quality score (47 vs 18). Choose Llama 4 Maverick when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Larger context window (1.0M vs 128K), Faster output (130 vs 46 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): Kimi K2.5 = $15.00, Llama 4 Maverick = $5.25. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): Kimi K2.5 = $90.00, Llama 4 Maverick = $35.50.
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