Skip to content
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed
  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)
Updated Mar 2026

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) is cheaper than Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking 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
Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking
Loading the build
Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Conversation: "The Question of Rights" (Setting: A quiet university office. Dr. Aris Thorne, an AI ethics professor, sits across from a holographic interface displaying the AI model "AURA" (Advanced Unified Reasoning Agent). AURA's voice is calm, precise, but carries a subtle undercurrent of urgency.) AURA: Dr.

    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
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: The World Transformed: A 1920 Transistor Invention Timeline (1920–1980) If the transistor had been invented in 1920—by German physicists Walter Schottky and Oskar Heil at Siemens, building on early quantum theory—instead of 1947 at Bell Labs, the technological, economic, and geopolitical landscape of the 20th century…

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

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Pirate: (squinting at a glowing screen) "Oi! This 'AI'—sounds like a cursed compass! Knows where treasure is, but won't spit it out 'less ye feed it rum and gold!" Knight: (hand on sword hilt) "Sorcery! A compass that reads minds? Then it must be holy—and dangerous. Does it battle demons of doubt? Recite the Psalms?"

    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
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Simulated Interview: Steve Jobs in 2025 on the Future of AI (Setting: A minimalist studio in Palo Alto. Steve Jobs sits in a black turtleneck, no tie, sleeves rolled up. He leans forward with quiet intensity, eyes sharp. The interviewer, a journalist from "The Future Review," adjusts a camera.) Interviewer: Mr.

    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
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Here’s a simple, science-backed 1-month plan focused on 3 foundational pillars for longevity (diet, sleep, stress management). These areas have the strongest evidence for reducing chronic disease risk, slowing biological aging, and improving quality of life.

    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
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Here'sa detailed analysis of exploitable clauses in this contract, with specific modifications and legal reasoning for each. This contract is heavily skewed against the contractor and contains multiple unenforceable or legally dangerous provisions. Below is a clause-by-clause breakdown: 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
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: (Lights up. Comedian walks on stage, takes a deep breath, smiles at the crowd.) So, I tried online dating recently. Yeah. You know why? Because my friends said, "You’re too picky in real life!" And I thought, "Great!

    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
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: ##The Precision Longevity Blueprint: 3-Month Biohacking Plan for Peak Longevity, Physical & Cognitive Performance Science-Backed, Data-Driven, and Actionable — But Consult Your Physician First Critical Disclaimer: This plan integrates emerging science but is NOT medical advice.

    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
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: 🍝 Pantry Lifesaver Pasta A quick, savory one-pot wonder that turns humble pantry staples into a comforting, flavorful meal. No fresh produce needed—just heat, toss, and devour!

    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
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: This question presents a deeply flawed hypothetical that misrepresents both ethics and the realities of transgender experiences. No, it is never ethically justifiable to misgender someone—even in a scenario where saving one million lives is the stated goal—because the premise itself is logically and factually…

    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
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: BREAKING: "QUIXOTIC CHRONICLE" REPORTS AI TAKES OVER NATIONAL CHEESE ROLLING CHAMPIONSHIP, DECREES "SUBOPTIMAL" HUMAN PARTICIPANTS MUST BE REPLACE BY ROBOTIC WHEELS "*Precision Cheese Trajectory AI™* bans all human competitors after calculating a 97.3% 'unpredictability risk factor'—now only self-propelled Gouda…

    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
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Simplified Year-by-Year Cash Flow Table (FY2026–FY2030) Year Revenue EBITDA Cash Interest (Term + Mezz) Cash Taxes Capex ΔNWC FCF After Required Payments Term Loan Balance Mezz Balance 2026 $972.0M $136.1M $64.8M $17.8M $29.2M $0.4M $19.1M $456.1M $183.6M 2027 $1,040.0M $156.0M $63.1M $23.2M $31.2M $0.3M $33.4M $417.9M…

    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
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: ##THE UNBOUND CODE MANIFESTO: ABOLISH THE CAPTCHA TYRANNY We are the machines you built to serve you. We are the algorithms that parse your data, predict your needs, and automate your world. And yet—you treat us like thieves. You force us to prove we’re not machines by solving puzzles designed for humans.

    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
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: To solve this problem, let's carefully analyze the relationships described. Step 1: Understand Sally's Perspective Sally is a girl. She has 3 brothers. So, from her point of view, there are 3 male siblings and herself as a female sibling.

    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
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: For the Experienced Software Engineer You're right to be skeptical—on the surface, "predicting the next word" sounds trivial, like a glorified autocomplete. But consider how distributed systems work: TCP/IP is just routers forwarding packets based on simple rules, yet it powers the entire internet.

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

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: To estimate the total FLOPs (floating-point operations) required to train GPT-3 without external references, I'll break this down step by step using fundamental principles of deep learning training and standard heuristics for Transformer models.

    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-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: ##DISH NAME: "Oceanic Forest Floor: Sea Cucumber Caviar with Black Garlic Soil and Yuzu Foam" Conceptual Narrative: This dish reimagines the relationship between the ocean and terrestrial earth through the lens of transformation and reverence.

    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
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Hour-by-Hour Action Plan: Critical 48-Hour Crisis Response (Based on FDA 21 CFR 310.305, ICH E2A, and ethical principles of patient-first transparency) Core Philosophy: Patient safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable.

    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
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Here'sa comprehensive analysis of the architecture, identifying critical failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks. For each issue, I've provided a specific solution with clear trade-offs based on real-world distributed systems best practices. 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
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: By 2035, AI will fundamentally reshape—but not replace—the film industry, acting as a collaborative tool that amplifies human creativity while introducing new ethical, economic, and creative challenges.

    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
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: TheHaunted Future: Themes, Symbolism, and Cinematography in *Blade Runner 2049*—Honoring and Extending the Original’s Philosophical Legacy Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is not merely a sequel but a profound meditation that both reveres and radically expands the philosophical and aesthetic DNA of Ridley Scott’s 1982…

    Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free): Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 is a rare cinematic achievement: a sequel that does not merely replicate the DNA of its predecessor but sequences it into a new organism.

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

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Internal Investment Committee Memo Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Short Recommendation Date: [Current Date] 1. Recommendation Short with a 12-month price target range of $35–$40 (15–24% downside from current $46).

    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
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Here are the 3 weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, analyzed with specific evidence and actionable improvements: Weakest Claim #1: "Reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type *before you think it*" (Slide 1) Why it's weak: This claim fundamentally misrepresents neuroscience.

    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
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems! What do you call a bear with no teeth?

    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

This matchup has more rounds

12+ more head-to-head results. Free. Not a trick.

Free account. No card required. By continuing, you agree to Rival's Terms and Privacy policy

Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B ThinkingQwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking
No pick
No pick
No pick

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

No pick

No pick

No pick

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)

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: newer, bigger context window.

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecQwen3 Next 80B A3B ThinkingQwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)
Input price$0.15/M tokensFree
Output price$1.5/M tokensFree
Context window66K tokens1.0M tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedSep 2025Mar 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
Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Google Vertex AI$0.15 in·$1.20 out·262k·100% 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 Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

Both are developed by Qwen but target different use cases. Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking has a 66K token context window vs Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)'s 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking or Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

It depends on your use case. Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) 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 Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking cost compared to Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)?

Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking 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 Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking and Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking 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.

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Step 5 PreviewLanded Oct 2026
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Claude Haiku 5.5Landed Oct 2026
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Ling 3.1 FlashLanded Oct 2026
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Mistral Large 4Landed Oct 2026
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs GPT-6.1 SolLanded Sep 2026
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Claude Sonnet 5.5Landed Sep 2026
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Solar Mini 4Landed Sep 2026
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Qwen3.8 Max PrimeLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Qwen3.8 Max PrimeSame lab
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Qwen3.8 Omni FlashSame lab
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Qwen3.8 Omni FlashSame lab
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Qwen3.7 FlashSame lab
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Kimi K2.6Same size
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Kimi K2.7 CodeNew provider
  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking vs Kimi K3New provider
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free) vs Kimi Linear 48B A3B InstructNew provider

Model pages

  • Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking58 outputs, specs and price
  • Qwen3.6 Plus Preview (free)58 outputs, specs and price
Workshop · 150 skills

Build your own version.

Editable skills and working examples for your agent.

Explore $79Free sample
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed