Kimi K2.6 vs Qwen-Plus
Both are Mid-tier models, from Moonshot AI and Alibaba Qwen respectively. Qwen-Plus is the cheaper choice overall at a 4:1 input:output ratio.
Which is cheaper
Side by side
| Spec | Kimi K2.6 | Qwen-Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Moonshot AI | Alibaba Qwen |
| Tier | Mid | Mid |
| Context window | 262K | 1M |
| Max output | — | — |
| Input $/1M | $0.95 | $0.40 |
| Output $/1M | $4.00 | $1.20 |
| Cache read $/1M | $0.16 | — |
| Modalities | text | text |
Kimi K2.6. input is cache-miss (standard) price per 1M tokens; cache_read is cache-hit price ($0.16).
Qwen-Plus. Tiered by context length: 0-256K shown ($0.4/$1.2 per 1M); 256K-1M tier is $1.2/$3.6 per 1M.
Sources
Kimi K2.6 — verified August 29, 2026
Qwen-Plus — verified August 29, 2026
Full Kimi K2.6 pricing page → · Full Qwen-Plus pricing page →