MiniMax M3 API Pricing & Integration
MiniMax M3 is MiniMax's current text flagship: a 1M-token-context model priced aggressively for high-volume agentic and long-context workloads. It is one of the cheapest million-token-context models available, making whole-document and whole-repository prompts economically practical.
Key specifications
| Provider | MiniMax |
| Context Window | 1M |
| Max Output | 32K |
| Modalities | Text |
| Release Date | 2026-06 |
| Benchmark | 1M context at roughly $0.31/$1.25 per M tokens — among the lowest in class. |
MiniMax M3 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 (≤512K) | $0.31 | — |
| Output | — | $1.25 |
Cost calculator: what you actually spend
Estimated cost for MiniMax M3 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 | $4.05 |
| 100K requests | 50.0M | 20.0M | $40.50 |
| 1M requests | 500.0M | 200.0M | $405.00 |
Input: $0.310/M tokens · Output: $1.25/M tokens. See the full pricing table for all models.
Features and capabilities
MiniMax M3 through BestLLM includes all standard features of the OpenAI-compatible API:`
- 1M-token context window
- Among the cheapest 1M-context models
- Strong agentic and tool-use performance
- Long-document analysis
- OpenAI-compatible API format
API integration example
Call MiniMax M3 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": "minimax-m3",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Summarize the key obligations across this 300-page document set."}]
}'See the full API documentation for Python SDK, Node.js SDK, streaming, and error handling examples.
How MiniMax M3 compares to other models
Side-by-side pricing and specs for all models available through BestLLM. MiniMax M3 is highlighted. Switch models by changing the model field — same endpoint, same SDK, same API key.
| Model | Input /M | Output /M | Context | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiniMax M3 ← | $0.31 | $1.25 | 1M | Cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent l… |
| 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… |
| Kimi K3 | $2.98 | $14.88 | 1M | Long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensi… |
| GLM-5 | $0.60 | $2.68 | 200K | Coding assistants, agentic workflows, and Chinese-language e… |
Read our Best Chinese AI Models 2026 guide for a full comparison with benchmarks and use-case recommendations.
When to consider switching from MiniMax M3
MiniMax M3 is a strong choice for cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent loops. But depending on your workload, another model might fit better:
- Need lower cost? DeepSeek Chat, Qwen Plus have a lower input price at $0.30 / $0.30/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
Cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent loops.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pricing for MiniMax M3 through BestLLM?
MiniMax M3 costs $0.31 per million input tokens and $1.25 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 MiniMax M3?
MiniMax M3 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 MiniMax M3 with the OpenAI SDK?
Yes. MiniMax M3 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 MiniMax M3 compare to other models on BestLLM?
MiniMax M3 is best suited for cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent loops. 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 MiniMax M3 available for production use?
Yes — MiniMax M3 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 MiniMax M3 today
One API key. Every supported model. OpenAI-compatible format. Switch to MiniMax M3 by changing the model field — no SDK changes required.