API cost decision in 10 seconds

GPT-5.6 Terra vs Grok Latest

Pick Grok Latest for lower cost; pick GPT-5.6 Terra only if the larger context window matters more.

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

Budget verdict

Pick Grok Latest for lower cost; pick GPT-5.6 Terra only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Grok Latest is estimated at $5 vs $8 for GPT-5.6 Terra, saving $3 (37.5% lower).

Cost-first pickGrok Latest
Context-first pickGPT-5.6 Terra
Sample savings$337.5%
10x traffic gap$30

GPT-5.6 Terra has more context, but Grok Latest saves $3 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $30. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Grok Latest stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGPT-5.6 TerraGrok Latest
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGrok Latest$16$13
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGrok Latest$14$8
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGrok Latest$62$32
Cheaper input Tie $2 vs $2 / 1M

Both models report the same input price at $2 per 1M tokens.

Cheaper output Grok Latest $12 vs $6 / 1M

Grok Latest is $6 cheaper per 1M output tokens (50% lower; 2x difference).

Larger context GPT-5.6 Terra 1.05M vs 500K

GPT-5.6 Terra has 550K more context (2.1x larger).

Sample workload Grok Latest $8 vs $5

Grok Latest is $3 cheaper on the standard workload (37.5% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
GPT-5.6 Terra Calculating… Estimated API cost
Grok Latest 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

both models tie on input price; Grok Latest has the lower output price; GPT-5.6 Terra offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Grok Latest is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $8 for GPT-5.6 Terra and $5 for Grok Latest.

Best Fit

Choose GPT-5.6 Terra when you care most about larger context window.

Choose Grok Latest when you care most about lower output-token price.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Grok Latest is estimated at $5 vs $8 for GPT-5.6 Terra, saving $3 (37.5% lower).
  • Grok Latest is $3 cheaper on the standard workload (37.5% lower).
  • Both models report the same input price at $2 per 1M tokens.
  • Grok Latest is $6 cheaper per 1M output tokens (50% lower; 2x difference).
  • GPT-5.6 Terra has 550K more context (2.1x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureGPT-5.6 Terra
(OpenAI)		Grok Latest
(xAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$2$2
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$12$6
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$8$5
Context Window1.05M500K
Release Date

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGrok LatestOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Grok Latest is estimated at $5 vs $8 for GPT-5.6 Terra, saving $3 (37.5% lower).
High-volume input processingTieLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGrok LatestLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGPT-5.6 TerraA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • gpt-oss-120b (free) can replace GPT-5.6 Terra when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace GPT-5.6 Terra when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace GPT-5.6 Terra when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace GPT-5.6 Terra when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.12.

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

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OpenAI catalog

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

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xAI catalog

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

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GPT-5.6 Terra

GPT-5.6 Terra is a balanced model in OpenAI's GPT-5.6 series, positioned between the flagship Sol tier and the cost-efficient Luna tier. It is suited for everyday coding, reasoning, and agentic...

Grok Latest

This model always redirects to the latest Grok model from xAI.