Kimi K3 API Pricing & Integration
Kimi K3 from Moonshot AI is the latest frontier reasoning model in the Kimi line. It pairs a 1M-token context window with strong agentic and coding performance, and ranks #3 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index — comparable to Claude Opus 4.8 and GPT-5.5 — while remaining open-weight.
Key specifications
| Provider | Moonshot AI |
| Context Window | 1M |
| Max Output | 32K |
| Modalities | Text |
| Release Date | 2026-07 |
| Benchmark | #3 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (score 44) — comparable to Claude Opus 4.8 and GPT-5.5. |
Kimi K3 pricing
Per-token pricing through BestLLM. Cost pass-through with no hidden markup — the price you see is what the ledger bills.
| Tier | Input (per 1M tokens) | Output (per 1M tokens) |
|---|---|---|
| Input | $2.98 | — |
| Output | — | $14.88 |
Cost calculator: what you actually spend
Estimated cost for Kimi K3 at BestLLM's per-token pricing. Assumes an average of 500 input tokens and 200 output tokens per request — adjust for your actual workload. All prices are cost pass-through with no hidden markup.
| Volume | Input tokens | Output tokens | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K requests | 5.0M | 2.0M | $44.66 |
| 100K requests | 50.0M | 20.0M | $446.60 |
| 1M requests | 500.0M | 200.0M | $4466.00 |
Input: $2.98/M tokens · Output: $14.88/M tokens. See the full pricing table for all models.
Features and capabilities
Kimi K3 through BestLLM includes all standard features of the OpenAI-compatible API:`
- 1M-token context window
- #3 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index
- Open-weight frontier reasoning
- Strong agentic and coding performance
- Transparent reasoning chains
API integration example
Call Kimi K3 through the BestLLM OpenAI-compatible API. Works with the official OpenAI SDK — just set the base URL to https://api.bestllm.dev/v1 and use your BestLLM API key.
curl -X POST https://api.bestllm.dev/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BESTLLM_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "kimi-k3",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Analyze this 1M-token codebase for security vulnerabilities."}]
}'See the full API documentation for Python SDK, Node.js SDK, streaming, and error handling examples.
How Kimi K3 compares to other models
Side-by-side pricing and specs for all models available through BestLLM. Kimi K3 is highlighted. Switch models by changing the model field — same endpoint, same SDK, same API key.
| Model | Input /M | Output /M | Context | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi K3 ← | $2.98 | $14.88 | 1M | Long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensi… |
| DeepSeek Chat | $0.30 | $1.19 | 128K | Reasoning-heavy workloads, code generation, and cost-sensiti… |
| DeepSeek Reasoner | $1.79 | $3.57 | 1M | Complex reasoning tasks, mathematical analysis, and multi-st… |
| Qwen3.8 Max | $1.79 | $5.36 | 1M | Enterprise workloads, long-document analysis, and agentic pi… |
| Qwen Plus | $0.30 | $1.19 | 256K | High-volume production workloads where cost efficiency matte… |
| GLM-5 | $0.60 | $2.68 | 200K | Coding assistants, agentic workflows, and Chinese-language e… |
| MiniMax M3 | $0.31 | $1.25 | 1M | Cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent l… |
Read our Best Chinese AI Models 2026 guide for a full comparison with benchmarks and use-case recommendations.
When to consider switching from Kimi K3
Kimi K3 is a strong choice for long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensitive frontier workloads. But depending on your workload, another model might fit better:
- Need lower cost? DeepSeek Chat, DeepSeek Reasoner, Qwen3.8 Max, Qwen Plus, GLM-5, MiniMax M3 have a lower input price at $0.30 / $1.79 / $1.79 / $0.30 / $0.60 / $0.31/M tokens.
- Need more context? DeepSeek Chat, Qwen Plus, GLM-5 offer up to 256K context.
- Switching is instant. Change the
modelfield in your API call — same endpoint, same SDK, same API key. No code changes beyond that one field. See the API documentation for examples.
Best for
Long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensitive frontier workloads.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pricing for Kimi K3 through BestLLM?
Kimi K3 costs $2.98 per million input tokens and $14.88 per million output tokens through BestLLM. Pricing is cost pass-through with no hidden markup. You pay only for the tokens you use — no minimum commitments, no per-request surcharges.
What is the context window for Kimi K3?
Kimi K3 has a 1M-token context window with a maximum output of 32K tokens. This means you can fit up to 1 million tokens of input — roughly a full codebase or book-length document in a single request.
Can I use Kimi K3 with the OpenAI SDK?
Yes. Kimi K3 is accessible through BestLLM's OpenAI-compatible API. Set the base URL to https://api.bestllm.dev/v1 and use your BestLLM API key. The official OpenAI Python, Node.js, and TypeScript SDKs all work without modification beyond the base URL and key.
How does Kimi K3 compare to other models on BestLLM?
Kimi K3 is best suited for long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensitive frontier workloads. Other models on BestLLM include DeepSeek Chat, DeepSeek Reasoner, Qwen3.8 Max — each optimized for different workloads. See the comparison table above or read our Best Chinese AI Models 2026 guide for benchmarks.
Is Kimi K3 available for production use?
Yes — Kimi K3 is live and routable through BestLLM with regional routing (US and EU), workspace-level spend controls, and an immutable billing ledger. Create a workspace, generate an API key, and start making requests immediately.
Start using Kimi K3 today
One API key. Every supported model. OpenAI-compatible format. Switch to Kimi K3 by changing the model field — no SDK changes required.