Gemini 3.7 Flash vs MiniMax M3.1 Flash
Pricing, context window and real answers (October 2026)
Gemini 3.7 Flash (Google) and MiniMax M3.1 Flash (MiniMax), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.
Specs and pricing
 Gemini 3.7 Flash |  MiniMax M3.1 Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | MiniMax | |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | $0.7913 | $0.1583 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | $3.96 | $0.633 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | $2.77 | $0.4748 |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Release date | 8/13/2026 | 10/19/2026 |
| Input modalities | text, image, video, file, audio | text, image |
| Throughput (p50) | 614 tokens/s (n=26) | — |
| Arena · overall | #17 · ELO 1,488 | Unranked |
| Arena · Japanese | #3 · ELO 1,512 | Unranked |
| Arena · coding | #41 · ELO 1,518 | Unranked |
Prices are FastMetal's rates, before tax.
Rankings: LMArena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset), CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-10-15; category names mapped and ratings rounded by FastMetal.
Which should you pick?
- On price, MiniMax M3.1 Flash: $0.633 per 1M output tokens, 84% less than Gemini 3.7 Flash.
- If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.
Real answers to the same prompts
Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.
Gemini 3.7 Flash
There are **3** 'r's in the word "strawberry".
### Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Break down the word into individual letters:**
* 1st letter: **s**
* 2nd letter: **t**
* 3rd letter: **r** *(1st 'r')*
* 4th letter: **a**
* 5th letter: **w**
* 6th letter: **b**
* 7th letter: **e**
* 8th letter: **r** *(2nd 'r')*
* 9th letter: **r** *(3rd 'r')*
* 10th letter: **y**
2. **Identify the positions of 'r':**
* The 3rd letter is an **r** (in "st**r**aw").
* The 8th letter is an **r** (in "be**r**ry").
* The 9th letter is an **r** (in "ber**r**y").
3. **Total count:** 1 + 1 + 1 = **3**.
4.5s530 output tokens
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
1. Spell **strawberry**:
**s – t – r – a – w – b – e – r – r – y**
2. Count the letter **r**: it appears at positions **3, 8, and 9**.
**Total: 3 “r”s.**
3.0s193 output tokens
Debug This Error
I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…
Gemini 3.7 Flash
### Why This Error Happens
This error occurs because the `users` prop is `undefined` when the component renders. Since `map` is an Array method, calling `undefined.map()` causes JavaScript to throw a `TypeError`.
This usually happens when:
1. Data is being fetched asynchronously (e.g., via `fetch` or `axios`), and the component renders **before** the data has arrived.
2. The parent component forgot to pass the `users` prop (`<UserList />`).
3. The initial state in the parent component was initialized as `undefined` (e.g., `const [users, setUsers] = useState()`).
---
### How to Fix It
Here are the best ways to fix it, depending on your use case:
#### Solution 1: Default Parameter (Recom…
9.9s1355 output tokens
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders. Calling `.map()` on `undefined` causes the `TypeError`.
This commonly happens when:
- `<UserList />` is rendered without passing the `users` prop.
- The prop has a different name, such as `user`.
- Data is still loading and the parent initializes its state as `undefined`.
- An API response is accessed before it exists.
### Immediate fix
Provide a default empty array:
```jsx
function UserList({ users = [] }) {
return (
<ul>
{users.map(user => (
<li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>
))}
</ul>
);
}
```
Then pass the actual data from the parent:
```jsx
const [users, setUsers] = useState([…
7.3s744 output tokens
Code Review
Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…
Gemini 3.7 Flash
Here is a detailed review of your function, followed by refactored versions.
---
### Key Issues & Areas for Improvement
1. **Imports inside the function (PEP 8):**
Imports should be placed at the top of the file, not inside a function, to avoid repeated import overhead and improve readability.
2. **Bare `except:` clause (Anti-pattern):**
Catching everything with `except:` intercepts `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and memory errors, making debugging difficult. Catch specific exceptions like `requests.RequestException` and `ValueError` (for JSON decoding).
3. **Retrying on non-retryable errors:**
A status code like `404 Not Found` or `401 Unauthorized` will never succeed on a…
13.2s2117 output tokens
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
The function is understandable, but it has a few important issues:
- `except:` catches programming errors such as `KeyError`, `TypeError`, and even `KeyboardInterrupt`.
- Every non-200 response is retried, including permanent failures such as 400, 401, and 404.
- It sleeps after the final failed attempt.
- Returning `[]` makes a failed request indistinguishable from a successful response containing no active records.
- A fixed delay can cause clients to retry simultaneously; exponential backoff and `Retry-After` are preferable.
- `item["active"] == True` should be `item.get("active") is True` if the API contract says it is a JSON boolean.
- A `Session` can reuse connections, while `requests…
146.5s
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.7 Flash or MiniMax M3.1 Flash?
- Per 1M output tokens, Gemini 3.7 Flash is $3.96 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash is $0.633 on FastMetal (US dollars, before tax), so MiniMax M3.1 Flash is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of Gemini 3.7 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash compare?
- Gemini 3.7 Flash takes 1,048,576 tokens; MiniMax M3.1 Flash takes 1,048,576.
- Can I use Gemini 3.7 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "gemini-3.7-flash" or "minimax-m3.1-flash" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.
Try both on one API key
Create an account and add credit to call Gemini 3.7 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.