Alternatives to Kimi K3
These models are alternatives by measurable coding evidence: they share the current open/open-weight classificationand are closest to Kimi K3's SWE-bench score. Similarity here does not mean identical capabilities, licence terms, or output quality.
The target model
SWE-bench
93.4%
Cheapest input
$2.60
Cheapest output
$13.00
Hosts
15
| Alternative | SWE-bench | Input $/MTok | Output $/MTok | Hosts | Context | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 | 96.4% | $0.58 | $1.74 | 15 | 1.0M | lower input price |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 | 88.8% | $0.04 | $0.08 | 32 | 1.0M | lower input price |
| Qwen3.8 27B | 86.0% | $0.35 | $2.55 | 10 | 1.0M | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Qwen3.8 Max | 85.6% | $2.00 | $6.00 | 1 | 1.0M | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Kimi K2.7 Code | 78.2% | $0.67 | $3.40 | 21 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 | 77.4% | $0.57 | $1.15 | 23 | 1.0M | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Kimi K2.6 | 76.2% | $0.55 | $2.31 | 28 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Qwen3.6 Plus | 73.4% | $0.33 | $1.95 | 1 | 1.0M | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Qwen3.6 Max Preview | 72.8% | $1.03 | $6.16 | 1 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Qwen3.6 27B | 70.0% | $0.29 | $2.00 | 13 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Kimi K2.5 | 70.0% | $0.40 | $1.90 | 20 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
| Nemotron 3 Ultra | 69.0% | $0.50 | $2.20 | 6 | 262k | cheaper, lower coding score |
How alternatives are selected
Alternatives must have a benchmark score and the same current open/closed classification as the target. They are sorted by score distance, then by price/performance. The table compares hosted API economics; it does not establish licence compatibility or self-hosting rights.
Check the model licence, provider Terms, context limits, tool support, and output quality before switching a production workload.