# MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs Qwen3.6 35B A3B

As of November 12, 2026, MiniMax M3.1 Flash costs 200% more per input token than Qwen3.6 35B A3B ($0.15 vs $0.05 per 1M) and has a 1M-token context window versus 256K.

- Page: https://models.litellm.ai/compare/minimax-m3p1-flash-vs-qwen3.6-35b-a3b
- MiniMax M3.1 Flash: https://models.litellm.ai/models/minimax-m3p1-flash
- Qwen3.6 35B A3B: https://models.litellm.ai/models/qwen3.6-35b-a3b

## Side by side

| | MiniMax M3.1 Flash | Qwen3.6 35B A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Input, per 1M tokens | $0.15 | $0.05 |
| Output, per 1M tokens | $0.60 | $0.40 |
| Cache read, per 1M tokens | $0.015 | $0.02 |
| Cache write, per 1M tokens | – | – |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 262,144 tokens |
| Max output | 524,288 tokens | 262,144 tokens |
| Image input | Yes | Yes |
| Tool calling | Yes | Yes |
| Structured output (JSON) | Yes | Yes |
| Prompt caching | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Providers on LiteLLM | 9 | 12 |
| Price shown is from | MiniMax | Sail |
| Added to LiteLLM | October 19, 2026 | June 2026 |

Headline prices in USD per 1M tokens, from LiteLLM's model price file.

## Cheapest provider for each

- MiniMax M3.1 Flash: Refuseless at $0.05 input per 1M tokens (`refuseless/minimax-m3.1-flash`)
- Qwen3.6 35B A3B: Sail at $0.05 input per 1M tokens (`sail/Qwen/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B`)

## When to pick which

- MiniMax M3.1 Flash: Larger context window: 1,000,000 vs 262,144 tokens.
- MiniMax M3.1 Flash: Returns up to 524,288 tokens per response, vs 262,144.
- Qwen3.6 35B A3B: Costs 67% less per input token: $0.05 vs $0.15 per 1M.

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, MiniMax M3.1 Flash or Qwen3.6 35B A3B?

Qwen3.6 35B A3B is cheaper at 3 input tokens per output token: $0.1375 per 1M tokens blended ($0.05 input, $0.40 output), versus $0.2625 ($0.15 and $0.60) for MiniMax M3.1 Flash, as of November 12, 2026.

### Which has the larger context window, MiniMax M3.1 Flash or Qwen3.6 35B A3B?

MiniMax M3.1 Flash has the larger context window: 1,000,000 tokens, versus 262,144 for Qwen3.6 35B A3B.

### Can I switch from MiniMax M3.1 Flash to Qwen3.6 35B A3B without changing my code?

Yes. Through LiteLLM both use the OpenAI format, so switching means changing the model name from "minimax/MiniMax-M3.1-Flash" to "sail/Qwen/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B", or pointing a LiteLLM gateway model alias at the other model. You can also use one as a fallback for the other.