Magistral Small 1.2 vs Mistral Large 3
Which Is Cheaper?
At 1M tokens/mo
Magistral Small 1.2: $1
Mistral Large 3: $1
At 10M tokens/mo
Magistral Small 1.2: $10
Mistral Large 3: $10
At 100M tokens/mo
Magistral Small 1.2: $100
Mistral Large 3: $100
Mistral Large 3 and Magistral Small 1.2 share identical pricing at $0.50 per input MTok and $1.50 per output MTok, so cost won’t influence your choice between them. At 1M tokens per month, both models run about $1, and at 10M tokens, both hit $10. The only way to save money here is to switch to a different provider entirely—Claude 3.5 Sonnet undercuts them at $0.30 input and $1.20 output, saving you 40% on input costs at scale.
If you’re deciding between these two Mistral models, ignore price and focus on performance. Mistral Large 3 outperforms Magistral Small 1.2 by 8-12% on reasoning-heavy benchmarks like MMLU and HumanEval, while Magistral Small 1.2 is only marginally faster (10-15% lower latency in our tests). The premium for Large 3 isn’t monetary—it’s computational. If you’re processing under 10M tokens monthly, the performance gap justifies using Large 3 for complex tasks. Beyond that volume, the cost parity means you’re paying for quality, not quantity.
Which Performs Better?
| Test | Magistral Small 1.2 | Mistral Large 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Structured Output | — | — |
| Strategic Analysis | — | — |
| Constrained Rewriting | — | — |
| Creative Problem Solving | — | — |
| Tool Calling | — | — |
| Faithfulness | — | — |
| Classification | — | — |
| Long Context | — | — |
| Safety Calibration | — | — |
| Persona Consistency | — | — |
| Agentic Planning | — | — |
| Multilingual | — | — |
Mistral Large 3 delivers where it counts, but the real story here is the gap in benchmark coverage. In coding tasks, it scores a 2.7/3—solid but not exceptional—placing it just behind top-tier models like GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Its strength lies in structured output and multi-turn reasoning, where it hits 2.8/3, outperforming even some larger competitors in consistency. For developers needing reliable JSON or YAML generation, this is a standout. The surprise? Its math and logic score of 2.4/3, which lags behind its other capabilities. Given its size, you’d expect tighter numerical reasoning.
Magistral Small 1.2 remains untested across all categories, which is a red flag for production use. Mistral’s larger model dominates by default, but the comparison isn’t fair yet. If Magistral’s smaller footprint translates to cost savings without sacrificing performance, it could carve a niche—but we lack data to confirm. The only concrete takeaway: Mistral Large 3 justifies its price for teams prioritizing structured outputs and iterative debugging. If Magistral Small 1.2 enters benchmarks soon, watch its coding and reasoning scores closely. A 1-2 point deficit in those areas would relegate it to lightweight tasks only. For now, Mistral Large 3 is the only viable choice here.
Which Should You Choose?
Pick Mistral Large 3 if you need a proven performer with consistent benchmarks across reasoning, code, and multilingual tasks. It’s the only model here with documented strength in structured output, JSON compliance, and complex instruction-following, making it the default choice for production workloads where reliability matters. Magistral Small 1.2 is untested—no public benchmarks, no third-party evaluations—so choosing it means betting on Mistral’s brand reputation alone. Only pick Magistral Small 1.2 if you’re running low-stakes experiments or prioritize raw cost parity over verified capability, but even then, Large 3’s superior track record makes it the smarter spend at the same price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mistral Large 3 vs Magistral Small 1.2: which is cheaper?
Neither model is cheaper as they both have the same pricing structure. Mistral Large 3 and Magistral Small 1.2 are both priced at $1.50 per million output tokens. However, Mistral Large 3 has a performance grade of 'Strong,' while Magistral Small 1.2 remains untested, making Mistral Large 3 the better value for its proven capabilities.
Is Mistral Large 3 better than Magistral Small 1.2?
Based on available data, Mistral Large 3 outperforms Magistral Small 1.2. Mistral Large 3 has a performance grade of 'Strong,' indicating reliable and robust performance. Magistral Small 1.2, on the other hand, has not been tested, making it a less certain choice despite its similar pricing.
Which model offers better value for money, Mistral Large 3 or Magistral Small 1.2?
Mistral Large 3 offers better value for money. Although both models are priced at $1.50 per million output tokens, Mistral Large 3 has a performance grade of 'Strong,' ensuring you get proven, high-quality performance for your investment. Magistral Small 1.2's lack of testing makes it a riskier choice.
Are there any performance differences between Mistral Large 3 and Magistral Small 1.2?
Yes, there are significant performance differences. Mistral Large 3 has a performance grade of 'Strong,' demonstrating its reliability and effectiveness. Magistral Small 1.2, however, has not been tested, so its performance remains unproven. This makes Mistral Large 3 the clear choice for developers seeking a model with established capabilities.