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Model comparison · Updated 2 Nov 2026

Qwen3.5-9B vs Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct

Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct is about 1.1× cheaper on input ($0.15 against $0.17 per 1M tokens), though Qwen3.5-9B is cheaper on output. Both have a 262K-token context window. For a support chatbot at 10,000 chats a day, the standard-tier bill is about $99.00 a month for Qwen3.5-9B and $122 for Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct.

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ModelsAtlas. “Qwen3.5-9B vs Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct”. Retrieved 2 Nov 2026. https://modelsatlas.com/compare/qwen/3-5-9b/vs/qwen/3-vl-30b-a3b-instruct

Model A

Qwen3.5-9B

by Qwen (Alibaba) · weights not marked open · GRIDC4

Input / 1M
$0.17
observed We measured
Source
Our catalogue
Retrieved
2 Nov 2026
Output / 1M$0.25
Context262K
vs

Model B

Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct

by Qwen (Alibaba) · weights not marked open · GRIDC4

Input / 1M
$0.15
observed We measured
Source
Our catalogue
Retrieved
1 Sep 2026
Output / 1M$0.60
Context262K

Key numbers

Standard tier · highlighted = better

Qwen3.5-9B
Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct
Input / 1M tokens
$0.17
$0.15
Output / 1M tokens
$0.25
$0.60
Batch input / output
Not listed
Not listed
Context window
262,144
262,144
Input types
Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Weights
Not marked open
Not marked open
Tiers listed
standard
standard
Prices checked
2026-11-02
2026-09-01

What it costs for real workloads

Monthly, standard tier, 30 days

Support chatbot10k chats/day · 1.5k in, 300 out
$99.00/mo
$122/mo
RAG over documents2k queries/day · 12k in, 500 out
$130/mo
$126/mo
Coding agent300 tasks/day · 60k in, 8k out
$110/mo
$124/mo

Qwen3.5-9B   Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct · Derived from the standard-tier prices above, input and output tokens per request as stated, 30 days. Excludes caching discounts and batch. Try your own numbers.

On the atlas

Price band (A–H) × context band (1–6)

Same square. Qwen3.5-9B and Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct share C4.

Same square as Qwen3.5-9B: Qwen3 30B A3B Instruct 2507 ($0.10), Qwen3.6 35B A3B ($0.10), Qwen3 Coder Next ($0.12). Open C4

AFreeB<$0.10C$0.10–0.30D$0.30–1E$1–3F$3–10G$10–30H$30+1<32K232–128K3128–256K4256K–1M51M6>1MINPUT PRICE PER 1M TOKENS →CONTEXT WINDOW ↑ · position within a square follows the real valueLlama 4 Maverick · C4Ministral 3 8B 2512 · C4Mistral Small 4 · C4Qwen3 Coder 30B A3B Instruct · C4Gemma 4 31B · C4Qwen3.5-35B-A3B · C4Qwen3 Coder Next · C4Qwen3.5-9BQwen3.5-9BQwen3 VL 30B A3B InstructQwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct
Qwen3.5-9BQwen3 VL 30B A3B InstructNearest neighboursOpen weights
View the map as a table (1 squares)
SquarePrice bandContext bandModels
GRIDC4$0.10–0.30256K–1MQwen3.5-9B, Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct, Llama 4 Maverick, Ministral 3 8B 2512, Mistral Small 4, Qwen3 Coder 30B A3B Instruct, Gemma 4 31B, Qwen3.5-35B-A3B, Qwen3 Coder Next

Capabilities side by side

Only what our records list

Qwen3.5-9B
Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct
Vision input
Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Audio input
Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Open weights
Not marked open
Not marked open
Batch tier
Not listed
Not listed
Free tier
Not listed
Not listed
Thinking tier
Not listed
Not listed

Neither record lists input types, so we do not claim any.

Which should you choose?

Editorial

Choose Qwen3.5-9B if…

  • output dominates your bill: $0.25 per 1M output against $0.60

Choose Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct if…

  • you pay by the token: it costs $0.15 per 1M input against $0.17

Each reason is a fact from the tables above. Picking between them is our judgement, and we do not benchmark quality: price and context are what we can measure, so test both on your own prompts before you commit.

Questions

Is Qwen3.5-9B better than Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct?
We do not benchmark quality, so we cannot say. On the recorded numbers: Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct is about 1.1× cheaper on input ($0.15 against $0.17 per 1M tokens), though Qwen3.5-9B is cheaper on output. Both have a 262K-token context window. For a support chatbot at 10,000 chats a day, the standard-tier bill is about $99.00 a month for Qwen3.5-9B and $122 for Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct. Which is better for you depends on your task; test both on your own prompts.
Which is cheaper, Qwen3.5-9B or Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct?
Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct: $0.15 against $0.17 per 1M input tokens, and $0.60 against $0.25 per 1M output, on standard pricing.
How much does each cost per 1M tokens?
Qwen3.5-9B: $0.17 input and $0.25 output. Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct: $0.15 input and $0.60 output. Standard tier, USD.
Which has the larger context window?
Neither: both have 262,144 tokens.
Do both offer batch pricing?
Neither lists a batch tier in our catalogue.
Can both read images or audio?
Input types recorded for Qwen3.5-9B: none recorded. For Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct: none recorded. Where a record lists none we say so rather than guess; check each vendor's documentation before relying on a capability.
Is either model open-weight?
Qwen3.5-9B: not marked open-weight in our records. Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct: not marked open-weight in our records.
What would each cost for a support chatbot?
At 10,000 chats a day, 1,500 input and 300 output tokens each, 30 days, standard tier: about $99.00 a month for Qwen3.5-9B and $122 for Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct. This is our calculation from the listed prices, not a quote.

About the two models

Qwen3.5-9B

By Qwen (Alibaba). $0.17 input and $0.25 output per 1M tokens, 262K context, atlas square C4. Tiers listed: standard.

Full specs & pricing →

Qwen3 VL 30B A3B Instruct

By Qwen (Alibaba). $0.15 input and $0.60 output per 1M tokens, 262K context, atlas square C4. Tiers listed: standard.

Full specs & pricing →

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