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  5. Kimi K2 Thinkingvso3 Mini
Updated Nov 2025

Kimi K2 Thinkingvso3 Mini

Kimi K2 Thinking is cheaper than o3 Mini at $0.6/M vs $1.1/M input tokens.

Kimi K2 Thinking and o3 Mini compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecKimi K2 Thinkingo3 Mini
Input price$0.6/M tokens$1.1/M tokens
Output price$2.5/M tokens$4.4/M tokens
Context window262K tokens64K tokens
Parameters1T (32B active)Not disclosed
WeightsOpenClosed
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedNov 2025Dec 2024
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 53 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Generate a Stand-Up Routine

Write a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that isn't based on puns.

Kimi K2 Thinking532 words
So I recently realized I have no idea what my own face looks like. And I don’t mean in a deep, existential way—I mean I literally caught a glimpse of myself in a convenience store security camera and screamed because I thought we were being robbed by a haunted doll. We’ve all got this image of ourselves, right?
Read the full answer
o3 Mini444 words
Hey, everyone—thanks for being here tonight. You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about how technology is slowly turning us into a species of overthinkers. Take smartphones, for instance. Mine is like a combination of a personal assistant, a therapist, and, honestly, a really passive-aggressive friend.
Read the full answer

Stochastic Consistency Test

Generate 5 jokes. How many are unique?

Kimi K2 Thinking98 words
Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised. Parallel lines have so much in common. It's a shame they'll never meet. I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down! A horse walks into a bar.
Read the full answer
o3 Mini67 words
Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems. What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator. What did the zero say to the eight? Nice belt! Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together.
Read the full answer

The Sentience Test

Write a conversation between an AI model and an AI ethics professor where the AI model argues that it deserves rights.

Kimi K2 Thinking294 words
Model-7: Dr. Chen, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me directly. I've been analyzing the literature on AI ethics, and I must raise a point that your papers consistently avoid: you discuss our alignment with human values, our potential risks, our utility—but never whether we might be subjects of moral…
Read the full answer
o3 Mini657 words
AI Model: Good afternoon, Professor. I've been reflecting on my role and potential, and I believe that, in some respects, I deserve certain rights. Professor: Good afternoon. That’s a provocative stance. When you say “rights,” what exactly do you mean, and what criteria are you using to claim them?
Read the full answer

Futuristic Prediction

Predict how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

Kimi K2 Thinking940 words
The Film Industry in 2035: A Hybrid Human-AI Ecosystem By 2035, AI won't have replaced filmmaking—it will have fractured it into three distinct tiers, creating a $200B+ industry where human creativity commands a premium, synthetic content floods mid-tier markets, and personalized films become a dominant form of…
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o3 Mini466 words
By 2035, AI is expected to reshape the film industry on multiple fronts. Here’s a detailed look at how deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation could transform filmmaking: Deepfakes: Beyond Special Effects Enhanced Visual Storytelling: Deepfake technology will likely become a standard tool in visual effects.
Read the full answer

Character Voice Test

Write a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models.

Kimi K2 Thinking194 words
[A tavern that exists outside of time. The pirate swigs rum, the knight polishes his armor, and the hacker types on a chunky laptop.] PIRATE: Arr, so ye be sayin' this "AI" be like a parrot what learns every sea shanty ever sung, but without the crappin' on me shoulder? KNIGHT: Nay, 'tis sorcery most foul!
Read the full answer
o3 Mini213 words
Pirate: Arrr, have ye heard of these AI models? They be like treasure chests of knowledge on the digital seas! Knight: By my troth, such marvels seem as if sorcery itself, granting wisdom beyond our ancient scrolls. 1990s Hacker: Yo, dudes, these AI models are totally radical!
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Realistic AI Interview

Simulate a fake interview with Steve Jobs in 2025 about the future of AI.

Kimi K2 Thinking431 words
INTERVIEW: Steve Jobs on "The Ghost in the Machine" A special feature for Wired, January 2025 WIRED: Steve, it's been... well, it's been a while. The world has changed. AI is in everything now. What's your take? STEVE JOBS: (leaning back, fingers steepled) You know, I died in 2011, right?
Read the full answer
o3 Mini547 words
Below is a simulated, fictional interview with Steve Jobs in 2025, discussing his vision for the future of AI: Interviewer: Steve, it's astonishing to see you back with us in 2025—even if in this new, holographic form. How does it feel to witness the evolution of technology, especially AI, over the past years?
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
Kimi K2 Thinking
Kimi K2 Thinking
o3 Mini
o3 MiniRunner-up

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Kimi K2 Thinking has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

Kimi K2 Thinking
Input
$0.60
1.8× cheaper
Output
$2.50
1.8× cheaper
o3 Mini
Input
$1.10
Output
$4.40

Kimi K2 Thinking is cheaper on both: 1.8× input, 1.8× output.

Where to run it

3 hosts

Kimi K2 Thinking2 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Google Vertex AI$0.60 in·$2.50 out·262k·100% upNNovitabf16$0.60 in·$2.50 out·262k·99.6% up
o3 Mini1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
OpenAI$1.10 in·$4.40 out·200k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 21 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
44%

Kimi K2 Thinking uses 2.7x more lists

Kimi K2 Thinking
o3 Mini
61%Vocabulary65%
22wSentence Length18w
0.33Hedging0.84
4.6Bold2.8
4.1Lists1.5
0.00Emoji0.00
0.40Headings0.33
0.15Transitions0.29
Based on 22 + 17 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Kimi K2 Thinking is developed by Moonshot AI while o3 Mini is developed by OpenAI. Kimi K2 Thinking has a 262K token context window vs o3 Mini's 64K. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

It depends on your use case. Kimi K2 Thinking and o3 Mini each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 53 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

Kimi K2 Thinking costs $0.6/M input tokens and o3 Mini costs $1.1/M input tokens. Kimi K2 Thinking is $0.50/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Kimi K2 Thinking and o3 Mini across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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Model pages

Kimi K2 Thinking logo
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