Inkling Small (batch) is $0.33 cheaper per 1M input tokens (40% lower; 1.67x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
NewHy4 preview vs Inkling Small (batch)
Pick Inkling Small (batch) for lower cost; pick Hy4 preview only if the larger context window matters more.
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Data confirmed:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
Pick Inkling Small (batch) for lower cost; pick Hy4 preview only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Inkling Small (batch) is estimated at $1.1 vs $2.08 for Hy4 preview, saving $0.98 (47.2% lower).
Cost-first pickInkling Small (batch)
Context-first pickHy4 preview
Sample savings$0.9847.2%
10x traffic gap$9.84
Hy4 preview has more context, but Inkling Small (batch) saves $0.98 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $9.84. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Inkling Small (batch) stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Hy4 preview | Inkling Small (batch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Inkling Small (batch) | $5.42 | $3.1 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | Inkling Small (batch) | $3.33 | $1.7 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | Inkling Small (batch) | $13.34 | $6.5 |
Inkling Small (batch) is $1.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (52% lower; 2.08x difference).
Hy4 preview has 524.29K more context (2x larger).
Inkling Small (batch) is $0.98 cheaper on the standard workload (47.2% 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
Inkling Small (batch) has the lower input price; Inkling Small (batch) has the lower output price; Hy4 preview offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Inkling Small (batch) is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $2.08 for Hy4 preview and $1.1 for Inkling Small (batch).
Choose Hy4 preview when you care most about larger context window.
Choose Inkling Small (batch) when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Inkling Small (batch) is estimated at $1.1 vs $2.08 for Hy4 preview, saving $0.98 (47.2% lower).
- Inkling Small (batch) is $0.98 cheaper on the standard workload (47.2% lower).
- Inkling Small (batch) is $0.33 cheaper per 1M input tokens (40% lower; 1.67x difference).
- Inkling Small (batch) is $1.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (52% lower; 2.08x difference).
- Hy4 preview has 524.29K more context (2x larger).
| Feature | NewHy4 preview (Tencent) | Inkling Small (batch) (Thinking Machines) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.834 | $0.5 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $2.501 | $1.2 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $2.08 | $1.1 |
| Context Window | 1.05M | 524.29K |
| Release Date |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | Inkling Small (batch) | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Inkling Small (batch) is estimated at $1.1 vs $2.08 for Hy4 preview, saving $0.98 (47.2% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | Inkling Small (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 | Hy4 preview | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Hy3 (free) can replace Hy4 preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Hy-MT2-1.8B can replace Hy4 preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
- Hy-MT2-30B-A3B can replace Hy4 preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.22.
- Hy-MT2-7B can replace Hy4 preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.22.
- Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent offers 2M context with $2.5 sample workload cost.
- Grok 4.20 offers 2M context with $2.5 sample workload cost.
- 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 0731 · DeepSeek · #1
- MiMo-V2.5 · Xiaomi · #2
- Hy3 · Tencent · #3
- Nemotron 3 Ultra (free) · NVIDIA · #4
Cheaper alternatives
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