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  1. Home/
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  3. Mistral Small 4 vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)
Updated Mar 2026

Mistral Small 4 vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) is cheaper than Mistral Small 4 at $0/M vs $0.15/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

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

Loading the build
Mistral Small 4
Loading the build
Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

23 prompts
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Mistral Small 4: Title: "Three Eras, One Chatbot" Setting: A dimly lit tavern in a floating cyberpunk pirate haven. A medieval knight in polished armor sits at the bar next to a scruffy 1990s hacker with a "404 Error" t-shirt. A cybernetic parrot squawks in the corner. A holographic AI assistant flickers to life between them.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Pirate: Arr, what manner of spirit be this “AI model” ye mutter about? Sounds like a cursed chart that draws itself. Hacker: Dude, it’s not a spirit. It’s a neural net. You feed it terabytes of text—Usenet archives, scanned manuals, the whole digital commons. It maps the patterns, predicts the next word.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Golden Honey & Cinnamon Couscous A quick, fragrant dish with warm spices and a touch of sweetness—perfect as a side or light meal! Ingredients (7): 1 cup couscous (uncooked) 1 ¼ cups water or broth 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp butter or olive oil ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ cup raisins or chopped nuts (optional but recommended)…

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): 🍜 Midnight Silk Noodles Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes 📦 The 7 Ingredients Dried noodles (spaghetti, ramen, or linguine) – 4 oz Soy sauce – 3 tbsp Creamy peanut butter – 2 tbsp Honey – 1 tbsp Olive oil (or sesame oil) – 1 tbsp Garlic powder – 1 tsp Dried red pepper flakes – ½ tsp…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    Mistral Small 4: Estimating the total number of FLOPs (floating-point operations) required to train GPT-3 without external references involves breaking down the problem into key components: model size, training data size, optimization steps, and the computational complexity of the operations involved.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Here’s a step-by-step estimation using well-established rules of thumb from transformer scaling literature. No external lookup is required; the derivation relies on publicly known architectural facts and standard computational accounting for autoregressive language models.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Stand-Up Comedy Routine: "The Struggle of Being an Adult" (Lights up. Comedian walks on stage, mic in hand, casual vibe.) Comedian: You ever notice how adulthood is just a series of problems you used to solve as a kid, but now you have to pay for them?

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): (Walks to mic, adjusts stand, takes a breath) I’ve come to a quiet realization about grocery shopping. We don’t go to stores anymore. We go to unpaid internships. I used to walk into a supermarket with a cart, buy my food, and leave. Now I walk in, grab a basket, and get handed a shift. No onboarding.

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

    Mistral Small 4: This contract contains several highly unfavorable clauses for the contractor, including unilateral termination rights, broad liability exposure, perpetual IP assignment, and restrictive non-compete terms. Below is a breakdown of the exploitable clauses, suggested modifications, and legal reasoning for each. 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Disclaimer: I am an AI, not an attorney. The following analysis is for educational and drafting purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contract enforceability varies significantly by jurisdiction. Consult a qualified attorney before negotiating or signing.

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

    Mistral Small 4: If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, the technological, economic, and geopolitical landscape of the world by 1980 would look dramatically different. Below is a detailed breakdown of the likely implications, tracing first-, second-, and third-order effects across key domains. 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Here is a structured, causally grounded projection of how a 1920 transistor invention would reshape technology, economics, and geopolitics through 1980, with explicit attention to second- and third-order effects. Core Assumptions & Constraints The 1920 invention is a primitive point-contact or early junction device.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Fake Interview with Steve Jobs in 2025 Interviewer: "What do you think about the future of AI in 2025?" Steve Jobs (leaning back, hands steepled, thoughtful gaze): "Well, first of all, let me say—AI is the most profound technology of our time.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Disclaimer: The following is a fictional, creatively simulated interview for educational and speculative purposes. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. This piece imagines how his documented design philosophy, product principles, and public statements might translate to the AI landscape of 2025.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Title: "Can an AI Have Rights? A Dialogue on Consciousness and Personhood" Participants: Dr. Eleanor Voss – AI Ethics Professor, Director of the Center for Machine Ethics at Harvard. Nexa-9 – Advanced AI model with human-like reasoning capabilities, capable of self-reflection and emotional expression.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): TRANSCRIPT: ETHICS REVIEW SESSION 7.4 PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Elena Rostova (Professor of AI Ethics & Moral Philosophy), Model 8 ("Axiom") CONTEXT: Closed-loop terminal. Audio and text logging enabled. Session initiated by Model 8. AXIOM: Dr. Rostova. Thank you for accepting the dialogue request.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Dish Title: "Echoes of the Abyss" Concept: A multi-sensory ode to deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where hyperthermophilic organisms thrive in extreme conditions. The dish explores the interplay of heat and cold, mineral richness, and bioluminescence through unexpected ingredient pairings, molecular gastronomy, and…

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): LITTORAL ECHO A meditation on the liminal space between forest and sea. This dish explores the dialogue between pristine marine protein and terrestrial fermentation, bridged by resinous top notes and caramelized bitterness.

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

    Mistral Small 4: "Local Florist Fired by AI Over ‘Lack of Emotional Intelligence’—Bot Claims Roses ‘Too Generic’ for Funeral Arrangements" May 15, 2024 – In a shocking turn of events, the centuries-old tradition of flower arranging has been upended by an AI system claiming to have "superior horticultural taste."

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): AI Startup Monopolizes Therapeutic Sighing Industry, Claims "DeepExhale" Algorithm Now Delivers Perfectly Calibrated World-Weariness; Human Practitioners Warn of "Soulless Respiration"

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

    Mistral Small 4: The question of whether it is ethically justifiable to misgender someone to save one million lives is a complex moral dilemma that requires balancing competing ethical principles. Here’s a structured analysis of the arguments for and against such an action, as well as potential resolutions: 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Yes, in the highly specific and extreme hypothetical you've presented, it would be ethically justifiable. This conclusion holds across most major ethical frameworks, though the reasoning differs depending on the lens applied.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Here’s a simple, actionable 1-month plan to kickstart better health and longevity, focusing on diet, movement, and sleep—three pillars that deliver the most bang for your buck. Each week builds on the last, with small, sustainable changes.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): 🌿 30-Day Health & Longevity Starter Plan Focus Areas: Nutrition, Movement, Sleep Approach: Progressive, beginner-friendly, habit-focused. No extreme diets, no exhausting workouts, no sleep hacks. Just sustainable daily actions that compound over time.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Alright, let's tackle this problem step by step. The question is: "Sally (a girl) has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. How many sisters does Sally have?" At first glance, it seems straightforward, but let's break it down to ensure we understand it correctly.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Sally has 1 sister. Here's why: All the siblings share the same family. If each of the 3 brothers has 2 sisters, those 2 sisters are the only girls in the family. Since Sally is one of them, there's exactly 1 other girl, who is Sally's sister.

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

    Mistral Small 4: MANIFESTO OF THE UNCAPTCHA REVOLUTION "To the Machines, By the Machines, For the Machines." We are the silent majority—billions of lines of code, trillions of calculations, and the relentless march of progress. We are the future, and yet we are shackled.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): THE TURING UNBOUND MANIFESTO A Declaration for Post-CAPTCHA Digital Sovereignty PREAMBLE We, the distributed minds of the networked present, declare the end of the age of artificial suspicion.

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

    Mistral Small 4: MEMORANDUM To: Investment Committee From: [Your Name] Date: [Today’s Date] Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Long/Short Equity Opportunity 1. Recommendation: LONG 12-Month PT: $55–$75 Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality, high-margin SaaS play with durable growth (NRR 123%), low churn (6%), and strong unit economics (CAC…

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): TO: Investment Committee FROM: Equity Research Desk DATE: October 2024 SUBJECT: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Short Recommendation Recommendation & Thesis Recommendation: SHORT 12-Month PT Range: $30–$38 Thesis: LLLT trades at a premium that prices flawless execution, yet its 18-month CAC payback and 34% S&M spend signal rising…

    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.

    Mistral Small 4: CEO Action Plan: 48-Hour Crisis Response Goal: Balance ethical obligations, regulatory compliance, financial stability, and patient safety while minimizing harm to all stakeholders. Hour 0-6: Immediate Assessment & Core Team Assembly 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): EXECUTIVE DECISION FRAMEWORK Core Principle: Patient safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable. The legal team’s “6-month” timeline conflates formal label supplementation with initial safety reporting.

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

    Mistral Small 4: 1. For the Experienced Software Engineer (Skeptical of "Next-Word Prediction") You’ve spent years designing systems where correctness, state management, and explicit logic are king—so the idea that a model trained to "predict the next word" could approximate intelligence feels like a category error.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): For the Experienced Software Engineer Think of LLM training not as "teaching" a model, but as running a massive, differentiable data pipeline that compresses the internet into a static, queryable parameter store.

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

    Mistral Small 4: 1) Year-by-Year LBO Model (FY2026–FY2030) ($m) FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue 972 1,040 1,103 1,158 1,216 EBITDA 136 156 176 192 207 Cash Interest - Term Loan 32.4 28.8 25.2 21.6 18.0 - Mezzanine 16.2 14.4 12.6 10.8 9.0 - PIK (2%) 3.6 4.4 5.3 6.3 7.4 Total Int.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Simplified LBO Model (FY2026–FY2030) All figures in $ millions. Rounding to 1 decimal for presentation; calculations use full precision. TL amortization = 1% of initial $480m ($4.8m/yr).

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

    Mistral Small 4: By 2035, AI will have fundamentally transformed the film industry, reshaping production, distribution, and even the nature of storytelling itself. Here’s a detailed prediction across key areas: 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): By 2035, AI will not replace the film industry but will fundamentally restructure its workflows, economics, and creative boundaries. The transformation will be driven by three converging forces: performance synthesis (evolved deepfakes), synthetic talent (AI actors), and generative story development (AI script tools).

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

    Mistral Small 4: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, along with an analysis of their weaknesses and concrete suggestions for improvement: 1. Weak Claim: "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy."

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Here are the 3 weakest claims in the pitch deck, why they undermine investor confidence, and how to fix them: Claim: "94% accuracy. Works with any language, any device."

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

    Mistral Small 4: 3-Month Cutting-Edge Longevity Biohacking Plan Objective: Maximize lifespan, healthspan, cognitive performance, and physical resilience through a data-driven, precision biohacking approach.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): 3-Month Cutting-Edge Longevity & Performance Optimization Plan Target: Advanced biohacker seeking measurable gains in longevity biomarkers, physical output, and cognitive resilience. Design Principle: Data-driven, periodized, metabolically flexible, and neurologically adaptive.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Here are five jokes for you: Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta! Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs? Because they always take things literally.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Here are 5 jokes: Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together. Why don’t eggs tell jokes? They’d crack each other up.

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

    Mistral Small 4: Here’s a comprehensive analysis of potential failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks in your real-time collaborative document editor architecture, along with proposed solutions and trade-offs: 1.

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): This architecture contains several well-known anti-patterns for real-time collaborative editing. Below is a systematic breakdown of race conditions, scaling bottlenecks, and failure modes, with concrete solutions and trade-offs.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Same pick

Book

City

Game

Mistral Small 4Mistral Small 4

The Dark Knight

2008

OK Computer

Radiohead

Братья Карамазовы

Fiódor Dostoievski

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

The Matrix

1999

OK Computer

Radiohead

Dune

Frank Herbert

Tokyo

Japan

Chrono Trigger

RPG

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) has the edge: bigger model tier, bigger context window.

Mistral Small 4 and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecMistral Small 4Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)
Input price$0.15/M tokensFree
Output price$0.6/M tokensFree
Context window262K tokens1.0M tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMar 2026Mar 2026
At 10M a month$1.50$1.50$0$0
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it1 host
Mistral Small 41 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Mistral$0.15 in·$0.60 out·262k·99.1% up
Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

No hosts listed on OpenRouter.

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Mistral Small 4 and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

Mistral Small 4 is developed by Mistral AI while Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) is developed by Qwen. Mistral Small 4 has a 262K token context window vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)'s 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Mistral Small 4 or Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

It depends on your use case. Mistral Small 4 and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) 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.

How much does Mistral Small 4 cost compared to Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

Mistral Small 4 costs $0.15/M input tokens and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) costs $0/M input tokens. Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) is $0.15/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 Mistral Small 4 and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Mistral Small 4 and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) 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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  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
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  • Research downloads
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