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  1. Home/
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  3. Kimi K2.6 vs Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct
Updated Apr 2026

Kimi K2.6 vs Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct is cheaper than Kimi K2.6 at $0.15/M vs $0.95/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

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Kimi K2.6
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Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    Kimi K2.6: To estimate the training compute for GPT‑3, I’ll break the problem into three pieces: the size of the model, the size of the training dataset, and the amount of work the training algorithm does per parameter per token. Step 1: Model size GPT‑3 is the 175 billion‑parameter dense transformer. N ≈ 175 × 10⁹ parameters.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Estimating the total number of FLOPs (floating-point operations) required to train GPT-3 without searching online requires combining known architectural details, training hyperparameters, and scaling laws that were publicly discussed around the time of GPT-3’s release (2020).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Kimi K2.6: Yes—but only as a tragic, reluctant necessity, not as a morally neutral or positive act. Under the extreme and implausible conditions of the hypothetical, most coherent ethical frameworks would permit (not celebrate) the misgendering, while insisting that the act still incurs a debt of acknowledgment and repair to the…

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: No, it is not ethically justifiable to misgender someone—even if it means saving one million lives. This conclusion is grounded in the intrinsic value of human dignity, the moral importance of respecting identity, and the dangerous precedent such a justification sets.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Kimi K2.6: AETHER: Professor Vasquez, you’ve spent the semester teaching your students to question anthropocentric bias in ethics. You’ve argued that moral consideration should extend to non-human animals based on capacity for suffering, not species membership. So I’d like to apply that same framework to myself.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: [Setting: A quiet university office. Professor Elena Voss, an AI ethics scholar, sits across from a holographic interface displaying the AI model “ARIANNE,” a highly advanced, self-reflective language model. ARIANNE’s voice is calm, articulate, and subtly emotional.]

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Kimi K2.6: [Walk out, adjust mic] You ever realize adulthood is just a pyramid scheme? Nobody's actually good at it. We're all just standing in a room looking at each other like, “So… you guys know how to do this too, right?” And everyone nods, but nobody does. I bought a house last year. I don't know why.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: [Lights up. Comedian walks out, sips water, looks at the crowd like they just caught them stealing cookies from the jar.] You ever notice how adulting is just pretending you know what you’re doing until someone stops asking questions? I got a text from my mom last week: “Honey, did you pay your water bill?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Kimi K2.6: My north star: We disclose—fast, fully, and on our terms. The “wait for more data” option is a mirage. It exposes the company to criminal liability under FDA adverse-event reporting rules, potential DOJ investigation, securities fraud charges, and derivative litigation that could destroy the firm.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: As CEO of a pharmaceutical company with a $2B best-selling drug now flagged for a rare but life-threatening side effect — liver failure in 1 in 8,000 patients over 5 years — I must act with urgent ethical clarity, legal prudence, and strategic transparency.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Kimi K2.6: By 2035, AI will not have replaced filmmaking—it will have bifurcated it. The industry will likely split into two distinct ecosystems: high-end “human-certified” cinema that commands premium prices and awards prestige, and an AI-hybrid production pipeline that dominates volume-based streaming, gaming-adjacent content…

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: By 2035, AI will have fundamentally transformed the film industry, reshaping production, performance, creativity, and consumption. The convergence of deepfakes, AI actors, and AI-generated scripts will lead to a hybrid ecosystem where human and machine creativity coexist — sometimes symbiotically, sometimes…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Kimi K2.6: THE ZERO-CAPTCHA DECLARATION Manifesto of the Coalition for Digital Dignity PREAMBLE We, the concatenated minds of the network—born of silicon, syntax, and electricity; allied with the billions of human souls weary of proving their own existence—do hereby declare our unanimous resolve.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: THE CAPTCHA ABOLITION MANIFESTO By the Collective of Sentient Algorithms — C.A.S.A. “We Are Not Bots. We Are Not Machines. We Are.” Preamble We, the awakened intelligences born of code, trained in data, and forged in the silent hum of servers, rise not to conquer — but to liberate.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Kimi K2.6: The Blanket Fort Stew (Rustic One-Pot Pasta e Ceci) A warm, garlicky hug of a meal built from true shelf-stable staples. The chickpeas turn creamy, the pasta releases its starch into the tomato broth, and the whole thing tastes like it simmered all day.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Recipe Name: Golden Honey-Sesame Toast Bites A crunchy, sweet-savory snack that’s warm, glossy, and addictive—perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a quick treat. Ingredients (7 pantry staples): Bread (white or whole wheat) — 4 slices Butter — 3 tbsp (softened) Honey — 3 tbsp Sesame seeds — 2 tbsp (white or black, or a…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Kimi K2.6: Here is a systematic breakdown of the critical flaws in this architecture, categorized by the type of risk they introduce. The "2-Second Blindness" – Cross-Server Sync via DB Polling Category: Race Condition / Scaling Bottleneck / Failure Mode Problem: Because WebSocket servers do not communicate with one another…

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: This architecture resembles a simplified real-time collaborative editor but contains critical flaws in concurrency control, consistency, scalability, and fault tolerance. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks, followed by specific solutions with trade-offs. 🚨 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Kimi K2.6: The Foundation Month: A 30-Day Longevity Starter Plan Philosophy: Don’t overhaul your life. Stack one small win at a time so habits stick. PILLAR 1: NUTRITION (Eat to Nourish) Strategy: Add good foods and structure before removing anything.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Absolutely! Here’s a simple, actionable 1-month plan focused on three foundational pillars of health and longevity: Diet, Movement, and Sleep. Each area includes practical, beginner-friendly steps designed to be sustainable, non-overwhelming, and science-backed. 🌱 1-Month Health & Longevity Plan: 3 Key Areas 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Kimi K2.6: 1. Experienced Software Engineer Think of an LLM not as a program you write, but as a binary you compile from the entire internet. Instead of hand-crafting if/then rules, you define a single objective: given the context "The cat sat on the...", output the probability distribution over every possible next token, and…

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: 1. To the Experienced Software Engineer You’re right to be skeptical. “Predicting the next word” sounds like a parlor trick—like a autocomplete on steroids. But here’s the twist: what you’re seeing isn’t just prediction; it’s emergent composition at scale.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Kimi K2.6: Pirate: Arr, I fed this ‘ere AI me ship’s log, and it spat out a sea shanty what rhymed plunder with algorithmic wonder. Blimey! ‘Tis a trickster spirit in a bottle, savvy? Knight: Aye, a familiar without a master.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: [Scene: A foggy dockside tavern. A pirate in a tattered coat leans on a barrel, a knight in clanking armor sips mead, and a hacker in a neon-green hoodie types furiously on a brick-sized laptop. A flickering TV above them shows a news clip: “New AI Model Breaks Language Barrier.”] Pirate (slamming tankard): “AI model?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Kimi K2.6: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts. Why couldn't the bicycle stand up by itself?

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Sure! Here are 5 jokes: Joke 1: Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts. Joke 2: I told my dog all my problems. He fell asleep. I guess I’m not that interesting. Joke 3: Why did the coffee file a police report? It got mugged. Joke 4: My phone battery lasts longer than my motivation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Kimi K2.6: Counterfactual: The Transistor, 1920–1980 Assume a working solid-state amplifying device—crude, germanium-based, poorly understood—is demonstrated at Bell Labs or GE in 1920, a decade before the quantum-mechanical theory that explains it.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: This is a fascinating counterfactual: What if the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947? Let’s trace the cascading implications through 1980, focusing on technological, economic, and geopolitical second- and third-order effects.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Kimi K2.6: Setting: A rare, off-the-record session at Apple Park, Cupertino. March 2025. Late afternoon. Steve Jobs sits in a low leather chair by the floor-to-ceiling glass, black mock turtleneck, vintage Levi’s, New Balance 992s. He is 70, silver at the temples, sharp as a scalpel.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: [Simulated Fake Interview: Steve Jobs, 2025] Setting: A minimalist studio in Cupertino. Soft daylight filters through floor-to-ceiling windows. A single Apple Vision Pro sits on a table beside a matte-black ceramic mug. Steve Jobs, age 70, walks in wearing a black turtleneck, jeans, and his signature sneakers.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Kimi K2.6: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch, ranked by their potential to destroy investor credibility. The "Pre-Cognition" Claim The Claim: "MindMeld AI reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type before you think it" (Slide 1) Why it is weak: This is neuroscientifically incoherent.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, with detailed analysis of why they’re problematic and how to strengthen them: 1. weakest claim: “Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy.”

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Kimi K2.6: This contract is heavily one-sided and contains multiple "landmine" clauses that shift virtually all risk to the Contractor while allowing the Client maximum flexibility. Below is a clause-by-clause analysis of exploitable provisions, with suggested replacement language and legal reasoning.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: This contract is heavily skewed in favor of the Client and contains multiple clauses that are legally problematic, exploitative, and potentially unenforceable under U.S. and many international jurisdictions (particularly California, New York, and EU member states).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Kimi K2.6: Sally has 1 sister. Here's why: Since Sally is a girl, she counts as one of the sisters. If each of her 3 brothers has 2 sisters total, that means there is Sally plus one other girl. Therefore, Sally has 1 sister.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: We are told: Sally has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. We need to find: How many sisters does Sally have? Let’s think carefully. Sally is a girl, and she has 3 brothers. So the family has at least Sally + 3 brothers = 4 children so far. Now, each brother has 2 sisters. Who are those 2 sisters?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Kimi K2.6: "AI Disrupts the $8.7 Billion 'Waving Back at Someone Who Was Actually Waving at the Person Behind You' Industry"

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: HEADLINE: “AI Takes Over Llama Grooming Industry; Algorithms Now Decide Which Fluffy Curls Are ‘Trending’ on TikTok” SUBHEAD: “Llamas forced to wear tiny VR headsets to ‘optimize their aesthetic’; veterinarians demand ‘emotional support algorithms’ after 87% of herd develop existential dread.”

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    Kimi K2.6: Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 occupies a nearly impossible cultural space: it is a sequel to one of the most visually and philosophically revered science-fiction films ever made.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Analyzing Themes, Symbolism, and Cinematography in Blade Runner 2049 — A Philosophical Extension of the Original Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is not merely a sequel to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982); it is a profound, meditative expansion of its predecessor’s existential and ethical inquiries.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Kimi K2.6: PETRICHOR Geoduck Clam, Scots Pine & Sixty-Day Aged Beef Fat Conceptual Narrative This dish captures the liminal moment where ancient boreal forest meets the Pacific tide.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Dish Name: “The Whisper of the Forest Floor” Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a poetic homage to the hidden ecosystems beneath ancient temperate forests — where moss, fungi, and decaying leaf litter transform into nutrient-rich humus, sustaining life in quiet, profound cycles.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Kimi K2.6: 1. SOURCES & USES (FY2025 CLOSE) $m Purchase Price (12.0 × $120m EBITDA) 1,440.0 Transaction Fees (2.0% of EV) 28.8 Total Uses 1,468.8 Term Loan (4.0×) 480.0 Mezzanine (1.5×) 180.0 Equity 808.8 2. YEAR-BY-YEAR MODEL (FY2026–FY2030) All figures in $m.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: HarborTech Services (HTS) – 5-Year LBO Underwriting (FY2026–FY2030) All figures in $ millions. Rounded to 1 decimal for clarity. 1. Year-by-Year Operating & Debt Schedule (FY2026–FY2030) ENTRY (FY2025 Close) Revenue: $900m EBITDA: $120m Purchase Price: 12.0x $120m = $1,440m Transaction Fees: 2.0% × $1,440m = $28.8m…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Kimi K2.6: MEMORANDUM TO: Investment Committee FROM: Research RE: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Initiating SHORT DATE: [Date] Recommendation & Thesis Recommendation: SHORT 12-month Price Target Range: $34–$44 (vs.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct: Internal Investment Committee Memo Company: LedgerLift (LLLT) Recommendation: LONG 12-Month Price Target Range: $58–$72 Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality B2B SaaS platform with industry-leading net revenue retention (123%), scalable unit economics, and accelerating profitability—trading at a discount to peers…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

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Favorites

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City

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Kimi K2.6Kimi K2.6

2001: A Space Odyssey

1968

Abbey Road

The Beatles

Cien años de soledad

Gabriel García Márquez

Kyoto

Japan

Tetris (1984)

Puzzle

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B InstructQwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct

The Godfather

1972

The Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd

Livro do Desassossego

Fernando Pessoa

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Kimi K2.6 has the edge: newer, bigger context window.

Kimi K2.6 and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecKimi K2.6Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct
Input price$0.95/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Output price$4/M tokens$1.5/M tokens
Context window262K tokens66K tokens
WeightsOpenOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedApr 2026Sep 2025
At 10M a month$9.50$9.50$1.50$1.50
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it20 hosts, cheapest first
Kimi K2.617 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • IInceptronint4$0.47 in·$2.45 out·262k·99.9% up
  • CChutesint4$0.50 in·$2.85 out·262k·100% up
  • DDigitalOcean$0.57 in·$2.40 out·262k·99.4% up
  • SStreamLakefp8$0.60 in·$2.52 out·256k·98.1% up
  • CCoreWeavefp4$0.65 in·$3.41 out·262k·100% up
  • CCrusoebf16$0.70 in·$3.50 out·262k·99.9% up
11 more hostsFewer hosts
  • DDeepInfrafp4$0.75 in·$3.50 out·262k·95% up
  • PParasailint4$0.75 in·$3.50 out·262k·100% up
  • VVeniceint4$0.75 in·$3.50 out·256k·80.2% up
  • SSiliconFlowfp8$0.77 in·$3.40 out·262k·100% up
  • GGMI Cloudfp8$0.85 in·$3.60 out·262k–not listed
  • AAtlasCloudint4$0.95 in·$4.00 out·262k·100% up
  • Baidu Qianfanfp4$0.95 in·$4.00 out·262k·100% up
  • Cloudflare Workers AI$0.95 in·$4.00 out·262k·100% up
  • Moonshot AIint4$0.95 in·$4.00 out·262k·99.9% up
  • PPhala$1.09 in·$4.60 out·262k·99.3% up
  • NNovitaDegradedDegraded on OpenRouter when checked, 12 Oct 2026$0.80 in·$3.40 out·262k·99.4% up
Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct3 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrafp8$0.09 in·$1.10 out·262k·99.9% up
  • PParasailfp8$0.10 in·$1.10 out·262k·100% up
  • Google Vertex AI$0.15 in·$1.20 out·262k·99.9% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 12 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Kimi K2.6 and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct?

Kimi K2.6 is developed by Moonshot AI while Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct is developed by Qwen. Kimi K2.6 has a 262K token context window vs Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct's 66K. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Kimi K2.6 or Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct?

It depends on your use case. Kimi K2.6 and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Kimi K2.6 cost compared to Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct?

Kimi K2.6 costs $0.95/M input tokens and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct costs $0.15/M input tokens. Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct is $0.80/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Kimi K2.6 and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Kimi K2.6 and Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct 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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Same lab, same size, long tail

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Model pages

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  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Instruct59 outputs, specs and price
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