API cost decision in 10 seconds

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) vs Cogito v2.1 671B

Pick Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) when budget is the priority.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) when budget is the priority.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is estimated at $0 vs $1.88 for Cogito v2.1 671B, saving $1.88 (100% lower).

Cost-first pickNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)
Context-first pickBoth models
Sample savings$1.88100%
10x traffic gap$18.75

The reported context window is tied, so cost and provider fit carry more weight. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $18.75. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)Cogito v2.1 671B
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)$0$6.88
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)$0$2.5
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)$0$7.5
Cheaper input Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) $0 vs $1.25 / 1M

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for input tokens while Cogito v2.1 671B costs $1.25 per 1M tokens.

Cheaper output Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) $0 vs $1.25 / 1M

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for output tokens while Cogito v2.1 671B costs $1.25 per 1M tokens.

Larger context Tie 128K vs 128K

Both models report the same context window at 128K tokens.

Sample workload Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) $0 vs $1.88

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $1.88.

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cogito v2.1 671B Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

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

Verdict

Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) has the lower input price; Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) has the lower output price; both models report the same context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0 for Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) and $1.88 for Cogito v2.1 671B.

Best Fit

Choose Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Choose Cogito v2.1 671B when its provider, model quality, latency, or availability is more important than the numeric price/context winner.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is estimated at $0 vs $1.88 for Cogito v2.1 671B, saving $1.88 (100% lower).
  • Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $1.88.
  • Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for input tokens while Cogito v2.1 671B costs $1.25 per 1M tokens.
  • Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is free for output tokens while Cogito v2.1 671B costs $1.25 per 1M tokens.
  • Both models report the same context window at 128K tokens.
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)
(NVIDIA)
Cogito v2.1 671B
(Deep Cogito)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M
$0$1.25
Completion Price
per 1M tokens
$0$1.25
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output
$0$1.88
Context Window128K128K
Release Date
Popularity#128#264

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is estimated at $0 vs $1.88 for Cogito v2.1 671B, saving $1.88 (100% lower).
High-volume input processingNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsNemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workTieA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • No lower-cost same-provider swap is currently tracked for this pair.
Larger context near this budget

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

Open cheapest models

Larger context alternatives

Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.

Open largest context models

Provider catalogs

Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.

Open provider hubs

NVIDIA catalog

Review all tracked NVIDIA models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

Open NVIDIA models

Deep Cogito catalog

Check other Deep Cogito models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.

Open Deep Cogito models
Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)

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Cogito v2.1 671B

Cogito v2.1 671B MoE represents one of the strongest open models globally, matching performance of frontier closed and open models. This model is trained using self play with reinforcement learning...