Minimax M3 vs Beam 1.0 501 B A23 B: cost comparison
Prices updated 2026-11-06 · computed from live provider data
Short answer: Beam 1.0 501 B A23 B is cheaper on a
3:1 input/output blend — $0.475 per million tokens versus
$0.525, a 10% difference.
Both offer the same 1,048,576-token context window, so cost is the deciding factor.
Head to head
| Minimax M3 | Beam 1.0 501 B A23 B | |
|---|---|---|
| Input, per 1M tokens | $0.300 | $0.300 |
| Output, per 1M tokens | $1.20 | $1.00 |
| Blended 3:1, per 1M | $0.525 | $0.475 |
| Context window | 1,048,576 | 1,048,576 |
| Vendor | minimax | reflection |
Monthly cost at real volumes
| Workload (input / output) | Minimax M3 | Beam 1.0 501 B A23 B |
|---|---|---|
| 1M in / 250K out | $0.600 | $0.550 |
| 10M in / 2.5M out | $6.00 | $5.50 |
| 100M in / 25M out | $60.00 | $55.00 |
Which should you pick?
Because the context windows are identical, the cheaper option is the better default. Choose Beam 1.0 501 B A23 B unless you are already standardised on minimax tooling and want to avoid a second integration.