Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, Qwen 2.5 Plus delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,445 vs 1,405), while Qwen 2.5 Plus leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (59.2%), while Qwen 2.5 Plus is more budget-friendly at $1/1M per 1M output tokens. Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
9 benchmarks evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Previous xAI generation before Grok 4. Kept for grok 3 vs grok 4.
Alibaba balanced flagship API model with high-throughput general reasoning.
Δ 40 Arena Elo pts
110 tok/s
$1 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top standard models across 6 key capability dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Grok 3 | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +40 | ||
| Coding Elo | — | — | |
| LiveBench | +3.3% | ||
| SWE-bench | +7.8% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +1.6% | ||
| Time to first token | +70 ms | ||
| Output speed | 88 tok/s | 110 tok/s | +22 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.25/1M | +$2.75/1M | |
| Output price | +$14/1M | ||
| Context window | +3k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
Qwen 2.5 Plus is estimated to save $306.25/month ($3,675/year).
Higher SWE-bench (59.2%).
Lower output list price ($1/1M).
Lower TTFT (180 ms).
Larger window (131k).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 2.5 Plus).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Higher SWE-bench (59.2%). |
| High-volume chat | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Lower output list price ($1/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Lower TTFT (180 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Grok 3 | Larger window (131k). |
| Screenshots / vision | Qwen 2.5 Plus | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 2.5 Plus). |
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry
