Alternatives · 15 models compared · checked 1 Sep 2026
MiniMax M3 alternatives: 15 models in or near grid D5
The closest model to MiniMax M3 on the atlas is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, in the same square, at $0.30 per 1M input tokens against MiniMax M3’s . 1 of the 15 nearest models is cheaper on input; the cheapest is Claude Haiku 5.5 at $0.10. We rank by position on the atlas, not by capability, because we hold no capability data.
$0.30
observed We measured
- Source
- Our catalogue
- Retrieved
- 1 Sep 2026
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Cite this page
ModelsAtlas. “MiniMax M3 alternatives: 15 models in or near grid D5”. Retrieved 1 Sep 2026. https://modelsatlas.com/models/minimax/m3/alternatives
Where the alternatives sit
Each square is a price band (A–H) × a context band (1–6). How the grid works
Same squareGRIDD514 modelsDeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini 3 Flash Preview and 11 more
MiniMax M3Its 15 nearest modelsOther modelsOpen weights
View the map as a table (2 squares)
| Square | Price band | Context band | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRIDC5 | $0.10–0.30 | 1M | Claude Haiku 5.5 |
| GRIDD5 | $0.30–1 | 1M | MiniMax M3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini 3.5 Flash Lite, Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-04-20, Qwen3.7 Plus, Qwen3.6 Plus, Qwen3.8 27B, Gemini 3 Flash Preview, Nemotron 3 Ultra (free), MiniMax M1, Mistral Large 4, Gemini 3.6 Flash, Gemini 3.7 Flash, Gemini 3.8 Flash |
Top 15 alternatives
Ranked by steps away on the atlas, then cheaper before pricier, then input price
| # | Model | Grid | Why it fits | Input / 1M | vs MiniMax M3 | Output / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | MiniMax M3MiniMax · the model you’re replacing | GRIDD5 | Baseline | $0.30 | — | $1.20 | 1.05M | |
| 1 | DeepSeek V4.1 FlashDeepSeek | GRIDD5 | Same square, same input price | $0.30 | same | $1.20 | 1.05M | Compare → |
| 2 | Gemini 2.5 FlashGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, same input price | $0.30 | same | $2.50 | 1.05M | Compare → |
| 3 | Gemini 3.5 Flash LiteGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, same input price | $0.30 | same | $2.50 | 1.05M | Compare → |
| 4 | Qwen3.5 Plus 2026-04-20Qwen (Alibaba) | GRIDD5 | Same square, same input price | $0.30 | same | $1.80 | 1M | Compare → |
| 5 | Qwen3.7 PlusQwen (Alibaba) | GRIDD5 | Same square, 7% pricier input | $0.32 | +7% | $1.28 | 1M | Compare → |
| 6 | Qwen3.6 PlusQwen (Alibaba) | GRIDD5 | Same square, 8% pricier input | $0.33 | +8% | $1.95 | 1M | Compare → |
| 7 | Qwen3.8 27BQwen (Alibaba) | GRIDD5 | Same square, 42% pricier input | $0.43 | +42% | $2.55 | 1M | |
| 8 | Gemini 3 Flash PreviewGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, 67% pricier input | $0.50 | +67% | $3.00 | 1.05M | |
| 9 | Nemotron 3 Ultra (free)NVIDIA | GRIDD5 | Same square, 67% pricier input | $0.50 | +67% | $2.20 | 1M | |
| 10 | MiniMax M1MiniMax | GRIDD5 | Same maker, same square, 83% pricier input | $0.55 | +83% | $2.20 | 1M | |
| 11 | Mistral Large 4Mistral AI | GRIDD5 | Same square, 127% pricier input | $0.68 | +127% | $2.09 | 1.05M | |
| 12 | Gemini 3.6 FlashGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, 150% pricier input | $0.75 | +150% | $3.75 | 1.05M | |
| 13 | Gemini 3.7 FlashGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, 150% pricier input | $0.75 | +150% | $3.75 | 1.05M | |
| 14 | Gemini 3.8 FlashGoogle | GRIDD5 | Same square, 150% pricier input | $0.75 | +150% | $3.75 | 1.05M | |
| 15 | Claude Haiku 5.5Anthropic | GRIDC5 | Neighbouring square C5, 67% cheaper input | $0.10 | −67% | $0.50 | 1M |
What switching saves
3,000 input + 800 output tokens × 1,000 requests a day
Σ Derived from standard-tier prices; excludes caching and batch discounts. Use your own numbers →
Larger-context alternatives
| Model | Input / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6 LunaOpenAI | $0.10 | 1.05M | |
| Llama 4 ScoutMeta | $0.10 | 1.31M | |
| GPT-5.6 LunaOpenAI | $0.20 | 1.05M | |
| Grok 4.20xAI | $1.25 | 2M | |
| Grok 4.20 Multi-AgentxAI | $1.25 | 2M |
Free alternatives
| Model | Input / 1M | Context | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyria 3 Clip PreviewGoogle | Free | 1.05M | |
| Lyria 3 Pro PreviewGoogle | Free | 1.05M |
Compare MiniMax M3 head to head
Questions
What is the best alternative to MiniMax M3?
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash ranks first: same square, same input price. Input is $0.30 per 1M tokens against $0.30 for MiniMax M3. Ranking is by position on the atlas, not by quality.
What is the cheapest alternative to MiniMax M3?
Claude Haiku 5.5 at $0.10 per 1M input tokens, 67% less than MiniMax M3, among the 15 closest.
Is there an open-weight alternative to MiniMax M3?
None of the 15 closest is marked open-weight in our records.
Which alternative has a larger context window?
None of the 15 closest holds more than MiniMax M3's 1.05M.
How are alternatives ranked?
By distance on the atlas grid from MiniMax M3's square D5: the same square first, then neighbouring squares. Within the same distance, cheaper models come before pricier ones, then the lowest input price wins. We hold no capability data, so we do not claim a model can do what MiniMax M3 does, only that it costs and holds about the same. No vendor pays for position.
More alternatives
Keep going in your AI
Opens with this page as the source. We add nothing else to the prompt.
- What is the best alternative to MiniMax M3?
- What is the cheapest alternative to MiniMax M3?
- Is there an open-weight alternative to MiniMax M3?