Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) is $0.15 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) vs Inkling Small (batch)
The standard workload cost is tied; choose by context window, provider fit, latency, or model quality.
Page updated:
Data confirmed:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
The standard workload cost is tied; choose by context window, provider fit, latency, or model quality.
Both models are estimated at $1.1 for the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.
Cost-first pickTie
Context-first pickInkling Small (batch)
Sample savings$00%
10x traffic gap$0
Context-window winner: Inkling Small (batch). Cost does not separate this pair on the standard workload, so the next decision point is context window and model behavior.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors Muse Glimmer 30B (batch), balanced workload favors Inkling Small (batch), and output-heavy chatbot favors Inkling Small (batch).
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) | Inkling Small (batch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) | $2.5 | $3.1 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | Inkling Small (batch) | $1.85 | $1.7 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | Inkling Small (batch) | $7.85 | $6.5 |
Inkling Small (batch) is $0.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (20% lower; 1.25x difference).
Inkling Small (batch) has 393.22K more context (4x larger).
Both models have the same estimated cost for the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload: $1.1.
Estimate your workload cost
Your Workload Cost
This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.
Quick Decision
Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) has the lower input price; Inkling Small (batch) has the lower output price; Inkling Small (batch) offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, the standard workload cost is tied.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $1.1 for Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) and $1.1 for Inkling Small (batch).
Choose Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) when you care most about lower input-token price.
Choose Inkling Small (batch) when you care most about lower output-token price, and larger context window.
- Both models are estimated at $1.1 for the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.
- Both models have the same estimated cost for the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload: $1.1.
- Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) is $0.15 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30% lower; 1.43x difference).
- Inkling Small (batch) is $0.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (20% lower; 1.25x difference).
- Inkling Small (batch) has 393.22K more context (4x larger).
| Feature | Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) (Meta) | Inkling Small (batch) (Thinking Machines) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.35 | $0.5 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $1.5 | $1.2 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $1.1 | $1.1 |
| Context Window | 131.07K | 524.29K |
| Release Date |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | Tie | Both models are estimated at $1.1 for the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload. |
| High-volume input processing | Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | Inkling Small (batch) | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Inkling Small (batch) | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (free) can replace Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Llama 3.2 3B Instruct (free) can replace Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Llama 3.1 8B Instruct can replace Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.09.
- Llama 3.2 1B Instruct can replace Muse Glimmer 30B (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 offers 1.31M context with $0.1 sample workload cost.
- GLM 5.3 Flash offers 1.31M context with $0.2 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash Latest offers 1.31M context with $0.08 sample workload cost.
- Llama 4 Scout offers 1.31M context with $0.28 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 · DeepSeek · #1
- MiMo-V2.5 · Xiaomi · #2
- Hy3 · Tencent · #3
- Nemotron 3 Ultra (free) · NVIDIA · #4
Cheaper alternatives
Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.
Open cheapest modelsLarger context alternatives
Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.
Open largest context modelsProvider catalogs
Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.
Open provider hubsMeta catalog
Review all tracked Meta models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.
Open Meta modelsThinking Machines catalog
Check other Thinking Machines models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.
Open Thinking Machines modelsMuse Glimmer 30B is a dense, open-weight multimodal model from Meta Superintelligence Labs, distilled from Muse Spark and optimized for autonomous agents on consumer hardware. It is suited for long-horizon...
Inkling Small is an open-weight multimodal mixture-of-experts model from Thinking Machines Lab, with 12B active parameters out of 276B total. It is positioned as the smaller, more efficient member of...