This comparison focuses on what changes the actual build: cost, compatibility, required specs, caveats, and verification age. It does not rank providers by affiliate status or popularity. Updated 2026-07-14.
At a glance
Token cost at moderate daily use. Full comparison below. Both prices carry a source and date; ranking never depends on affiliate status.
Specifications
| Granite 4.1 8B vendor · 9d | Qwen3.6 35B A3B vendor · 9d | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | IBM | Alibaba |
| API format | openai | openai |
| Restricted access | No | No |
| Context window | 131072 | 262144 |
| Capabilities | Tools | Vision, Tools, Thinking |
| Class | budget | value |
Cost at three usage tiers
| A few questions and small tasks each day. | $0.39/mo | $1.74/mo |
| Daily use, plus some scheduled tasks. | $1.30/mo | $5.80/mo |
| Working for you most of the day, including web tasks. | $3.90/mo | $17.40/mo |
Token cost only; add a host for the full-stack estimate.
What others don't publish
Granite 4.1 8B
No unique caveat on file.
Qwen3.6 35B A3B
No unique caveat on file.