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Claude Sonnet 4.6 vs Grok 4.3
A straight cost comparison of Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic) and Grok 4.3 (xAI Grok), per 1,000,000 tokens, verified October 2026.
Rate-by-rate comparison
| Metric | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | Grok 4.3 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M | $3 | $1.25 | Grok 4.3 |
| Cached input / 1M | $0.30 | $0.20 | Grok 4.3 |
| Cache write / 1M | $3.75 | — | Grok 4.3 |
| Output / 1M | $15 | $2.50 | Grok 4.3 |
| Context window | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | Tie |
| Batch API | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Long-context tier | None | > 200,000 | — |
For per-token metrics, the lower number wins. For context window and batch support, the higher or broader option wins. A dash means the provider does not publish that rate: a missing cache-write fee means writes are not billed per token, while a missing cached-input rate means cache hits bill at the full input rate.
Blended cost: 1M input + 250K output
| Model | Blended cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 4.6 | $6.75 | +$4.88 |
| Grok 4.3 | $1.88 | Cheaper |
Three workloads, two bills
| Workload | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | Grok 4.3 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support chat 1,000 requests · 4K input / 600 output | $21 | $6.50 | Grok 4.3 |
| RAG with caching 1,000 requests · 50K input (45K cached) / 1K output | $43.66 | $17.80 | Grok 4.3 |
| Nightly batch job 10,000 requests · 10K input / 2K output | $300 | $87.50 | Grok 4.3 |
Which one should you pick?
Claude Sonnet 4.6 wins on none of the three workloads above, while Grok 4.3 wins on support chat, cached RAG, nightly batch job.
Beyond price, the two differ on input rate ($3 vs $1.25); output rate ($15 vs $2.50); cached-input rate ($0.30 vs $0.20); cache-write rate ($3.75 vs —); long-context tier (none vs yes, above 200,000).
Batch mode is available on Claude Sonnet 4.6 and Grok 4.3, which halves the nightly job. Both publish cached-input discounts, so a stable system prompt is worth caching on either.
FAQ
Is Claude Sonnet 4.6 cheaper than Grok 4.3?
On a blended 1M-input-plus-250K-output workload, Grok 4.3 is cheaper by 72% ($1.88 vs $6.75). The gap changes for cache-heavy prompts and for batch jobs, as the workload table shows.
Which handles longer prompts, Claude Sonnet 4.6 or Grok 4.3?
Both models share the same 1,000,000-token context window. Watch the long-context threshold on Grok 4.3: rates rise once input passes it.
Do both models support prompt caching?
Claude Sonnet 4.6 bills cached reads at $0.30 per 1M; Grok 4.3 at $0.20.