MiniMax-M3 vs Kimi K2.6: API price comparison (2026)
As of 2026-10-17, By blended price, MiniMax-M3 is cheaper — about 3.3× less. MiniMax-M3: $0.3 / $1.2 (OpenRouter); Kimi K2.6: $0.95 / $4 (OpenRouter), per 1M input/output tokens.
 MiniMax-M3 |  Kimi K2.6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Blended | $0.525 | $1.71 |
| Cheapest channel | OpenRouter | OpenRouter |
| AA Intelligence | 29.2 | 27 |
| Context | 1M | 262K |
| China usability | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card OpenRouter | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card OpenRouter |
MiniMax-M3
| Channel | Blended | Input | Output | Cached | Access & payment (this channel) | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official (China) ¥2.1 / ¥8.4 | $0.549 | $0.314 | $1.25 | $0.063 | ✓CN direct✗Alipay?ID·unverified✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | ≤512K 输入；官方标注「永久五折」，主价格为折后价（刊例价 ¥4.20 / ¥16.80 / 缓存读取 ¥0.84）；>512K 输入翻倍 models.dev ✓ | platform.minimaxi.com 2026-10-17 |
| OpenRouter $0.3 / $1.2 | $0.525 | $0.3 | $1.2 | $0.06 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | Original vendor endpoint: Minimax Quantized min $0.23 / $0.96 (fp4, CoreWeave) | openrouter.ai 2026-10-17 |
Kimi K2.6
| Channel | Blended | Input | Output | Cached | Access & payment (this channel) | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official (China) ¥6.5 / ¥27 | $1.74 | $0.97 | $4.03 | $0.164 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✓ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | models.dev ✓ | platform.moonshot.cn 2026-10-17 |
| OpenRouter $0.95 / $4 | $1.71 | $0.95 | $4 | $0.16 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | Original vendor endpoint: Moonshot AI Quantized min $0.43225 / $1.82 (fp4, Baidu) | openrouter.ai 2026-10-17 |
FAQ
Which is cheaper, MiniMax-M3 or Kimi K2.6?
As of 2026-10-17, By blended price, MiniMax-M3 is cheaper — about 3.3× less. MiniMax-M3: $0.3 / $1.2 (OpenRouter); Kimi K2.6: $0.95 / $4 (OpenRouter), per 1M input/output tokens.
What are the context windows of MiniMax-M3 and Kimi K2.6?
MiniMax-M3: 1M; Kimi K2.6: 262K.
Can I use MiniMax-M3 and Kimi K2.6 directly from mainland China?
MiniMax-M3（OpenRouter）direct yes, Alipay yes; Kimi K2.6（OpenRouter）direct yes, Alipay yes. Via each cheapest channel.
Which is stronger, MiniMax-M3 or Kimi K2.6?
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (via OpenRouter rankings, 2026-10-17): MiniMax-M3 29.2, Kimi K2.6 27.
How much can I save switching between them?
Blended (0.75×in+0.25×out): MiniMax-M3 $0.525 vs Kimi K2.6 $1.71, a difference of $1.19 per 1M tokens.