MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is $0.52 cheaper per 1M input tokens (41.6% lower; 1.71x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
NewMoonshotAI Kimi Latest vs Grok 4.20
Pick MoonshotAI Kimi Latest for lower cost; pick Grok 4.20 only if the larger context window matters more.
Budget verdict
Pick MoonshotAI Kimi Latest for lower cost; pick Grok 4.20 only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is estimated at $2.48 vs $2.5 for Grok 4.20, saving $0.02 (1% lower).
Grok 4.20 has more context, but MoonshotAI Kimi Latest saves $0.02 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $0.25. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors MoonshotAI Kimi Latest, balanced workload favors Grok 4.20, and output-heavy chatbot favors Grok 4.20.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | MoonshotAI Kimi Latest | Grok 4.20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | MoonshotAI Kimi Latest | $5.39 | $7.5 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | Grok 4.20 | $4.22 | $3.75 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | Grok 4.20 | $18.18 | $13.75 |
Grok 4.20 is $0.99 cheaper per 1M output tokens (28.4% lower; 1.4x difference).
Grok 4.20 has 1.74M more context (7.63x larger).
MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is $0.02 cheaper on the standard workload (1% lower).
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
MoonshotAI Kimi Latest has the lower input price; Grok 4.20 has the lower output price; Grok 4.20 offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $2.48 for MoonshotAI Kimi Latest and $2.5 for Grok 4.20.
Choose MoonshotAI Kimi Latest when you care most about lower input-token price.
Choose Grok 4.20 when you care most about lower output-token price, and larger context window.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is estimated at $2.48 vs $2.5 for Grok 4.20, saving $0.02 (1% lower).
- MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is $0.02 cheaper on the standard workload (1% lower).
- MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is $0.52 cheaper per 1M input tokens (41.6% lower; 1.71x difference).
- Grok 4.20 is $0.99 cheaper per 1M output tokens (28.4% lower; 1.4x difference).
- Grok 4.20 has 1.74M more context (7.63x larger).
| Feature | NewMoonshotAI Kimi Latest (MoonshotAI) | Grok 4.20 (xAI) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.73 | $1.25 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $3.49 | $2.5 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $2.48 | $2.5 |
| Context Window | 262.14K | 2M |
| Release Date |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | MoonshotAI Kimi Latest | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, MoonshotAI Kimi Latest is estimated at $2.48 vs $2.5 for Grok 4.20, saving $0.02 (1% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | MoonshotAI Kimi Latest | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | Grok 4.20 | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Grok 4.20 | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Kimi K2.5 can replace MoonshotAI Kimi Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $1.35.
- Kimi K2 0711 can replace MoonshotAI Kimi Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $1.72.
- Kimi K2 Thinking can replace MoonshotAI Kimi Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $1.85.
- Kimi K2 0905 can replace MoonshotAI Kimi Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $1.85.
- Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 sample workload cost.
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Grok 4.20 is a reasoning model from xAI with industry-leading speed and agentic tool calling capabilities. It combines the lowest hallucination rate on the market with strict prompt adherance, delivering...