Model comparison

GPT-4o-mini vs Kimi K2.6

Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)

GPT-4o-mini (OpenAI) and Kimi K2.6 (Moonshot), 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

openai logoGPT-4o-minimoonshotai logoKimi K2.6
ProviderOpenAIMoonshot
Input (per 1M tokens)¥26.81¥159.6
Output (per 1M tokens)¥107.22¥672
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥80¥496
Context window128,000 tokens262,144 tokens
Release date7/18/20244/20/2026
Input modalitiestext, image, filetext, image
Throughput (p50)
Arena · overall#251 · ELO 1,318#52 · ELO 1,460
Arena · Japanese#187 · ELO 1,250#36 · ELO 1,443
Arena · coding#259 · ELO 1,348#39 · ELO 1,514

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, GPT-4o-mini: ¥107.22 per 1M output tokens, 84% less than Kimi K2.6.
  • On the Overall arena board, Kimi K2.6 ranks higher (#52; GPT-4o-mini is #251).
  • On the Japanese arena board, Kimi K2.6 ranks higher (#36; GPT-4o-mini is #187).
  • On the Coding arena board, Kimi K2.6 ranks higher (#39; GPT-4o-mini is #259).
  • For long documents, Kimi K2.6: a 262,144-token context window against 128,000 for GPT-4o-mini.
  • 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.

GPT-4o-mini

To count the number of 'r's in the word "strawberry," we can follow these steps: 1. **Identify the word**: We have the word "strawberry." 2. **Break down the letters**: Let's write out the letters in the word: - s - t - r - a - w - b - e - r - r - y 3. **Locate the 'r's**: Now, we need to look for the letter 'r' among these letters. - In the list of letters, we can see: - The first 'r' is in the 3rd position. - The second 'r' is in the 8th position. - The third 'r' is in the 9th position. 4. **Count the occurrences**: We check each position we identified: - There are three occurrences of 'r' in the word "strawberry." 5. **Conclusion**:…
2.1s239 output tokens

Kimi K2.6

Here is the step-by-step count: **Step 1:** Write out the word and number each letter. 1. s 2. t 3. **r** ← 1st 'r' 4. a 5. w 6. b 7. e 8. **r** ← 2nd 'r' 9. **r** ← 3rd 'r' 10. y **Step 2:** Identify the positions containing the letter 'r'. - The 3rd letter is **r** - The 8th letter is **r** - The 9th letter is **r** **Step 3:** Tally the total. There are **3** letter 'r's in "strawberry".
4.5s352 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…

GPT-4o-mini

The error you're encountering, `TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')`, indicates that the `users` prop is `undefined` when you try to call the `map` method on it. In your `UserList` component, you're attempting to use `users.map(...)`, but if the `users` prop is not provided or is `undefined`, this will throw an error. ### Fixing the Error 1. **Default Props**: You can set a default value for the `users` prop to prevent the error when it is `undefined`. ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { // Default to an empty array return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ```…
5.0s511 output tokens

Kimi K2.6

The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when your component renders. The `.map()` method only works on arrays, so calling it on `undefined` throws this error. This usually happens when: - The parent component hasn't finished fetching data yet - The `users` prop isn't being passed at all - The prop is misspelled in the parent component ## Quick Fix Set a **default value** for the `users` prop: ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` ## Alternative Fixes **Optional chaining** (renders nothing if undefined): ```jsx {users?.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} ```…
71.8s864 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):…

GPT-4o-mini

Your Python function, `get_data`, essentially performs a GET request, handles retries on failure, and processes the response JSON to return a filtered list of dictionaries. Below, I've highlighted several improvements regarding readability, performance, and best practices: 1. **Avoid blanket exceptions**: It’s best practice to specify which exceptions you expect, allowing for better debugging and error handling. 2. **Use `requests` built-in exception handling**: Handle specific requests exceptions, such as `requests.exceptions.RequestException`. 3. **Improve condition checks**: Check for `item['active']` directly instead of comparing to `True`, which is more Pythonic. 4. **Use `time.sl…
8.8s628 output tokens

Kimi K2.6

Here is a refactored version followed by a breakdown of the improvements. ### Refactored Function ```python import logging import time from typing import Any import requests logger = logging.getLogger(__name__) def fetch_active_items( url: str, *, retries: int = 3, timeout: float = 10.0, backoff: float = 2.0, ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]: """Fetch active items from an API endpoint with retry logic. Args: url: The API endpoint URL. retries: Number of retry attempts for transient failures. timeout: HTTP request timeout in seconds. backoff: Base delay in seconds between retries (linear backoff). Returns: A list of activ…
17.9s4061 output tokens

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GPT-4o-mini or Kimi K2.6?
Per 1M output tokens, GPT-4o-mini is ¥107.22 and Kimi K2.6 is ¥672 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so GPT-4o-mini is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GPT-4o-mini and Kimi K2.6 compare?
GPT-4o-mini takes 128,000 tokens; Kimi K2.6 takes 262,144.
Which ranks higher, GPT-4o-mini or Kimi K2.6?
Kimi K2.6 ranks higher on the public arena (GPT-4o-mini #187, Kimi K2.6 #36). Ranks move as the leaderboard updates.
Can I use GPT-4o-mini and Kimi K2.6 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "gpt-4o-mini" or "kimi-k2.6" 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 GPT-4o-mini and Kimi K2.6 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

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