AI model comparison
LFM2.5-2.6B vs Qwen3 Coder Next
Side by side comparison of LFM2.5-2.6B and Qwen3 Coder Next on pricing, benchmark scores, context window, and more.
LFM2.5-2.6B is a compact reasoning model from Liquid AI. It is suited for agent workflows, data extraction, RAG, and long-context processing.
- Input / 1M
- $0.35
- Output / 1M
- $0.50
- Context
- 128K
Qwen3-Coder-Next is an open-weight causal language model optimized for coding agents and local development workflows.
- Input / 1M
- $0.12
- Output / 1M
- $0.80
- Context
- 262K
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At a glance
Quick verdict
How the two models stack up on the things people ask about most.
Lower price
Qwen3 Coder Next
1.5x cheaper for a typical chat
Higher intelligence score
Qwen3 Coder Next
9.2 vs 8.4 on Artificial Analysis
Larger context window
Qwen3 Coder Next
262K vs 128K tokens
Newer release
LFM2.5-2.6B
Released August 11, 2026
Benchmarks
Benchmark scores
Independent scores from Artificial Analysis. Higher is better.
Intelligence index
LFM2.5-2.6B8.4Qwen3 Coder Next9.2Coding index
LFM2.5-2.6B7.7Qwen3 Coder Next36.2Agentic index
LFM2.5-2.6BNot availableQwen3 Coder Next0.9Pricing
LFM2.5-2.6B vs Qwen3 Coder Next API pricing
Per-token API rates. Cheaper option highlighted.
| Metric | LFM2.5-2.6B | Qwen3 Coder Next |
|---|---|---|
| Input tokensPer 1M tokens | $0.35 | $0.12 |
| Output tokensPer 1M tokens | $0.50 | $0.80 |
| Cached input (read)Per 1M tokens | $0.04 | $0.07 |
| Cache writePer 1M tokens | Not available | Not available |
What it costs in practice
Estimated cost per 1,000 requests at standard rates. Coding and long-document figures also show the cost when the input is already cached.
Chat message
2K in, 500 out
LFM2.5-2.6B$0.95Qwen3 Coder Next$0.64Coding task
30K in, 4K out
LFM2.5-2.6B$12.50$3.20 cachedQwen3 Coder Next$6.80$5.30 cachedLong document summary
150K in, 2K out
LFM2.5-2.6B$53.50$7 cachedQwen3 Coder Next$19.60$12.10 cachedSpecs
Context window and capabilities
How much each model can read, how much it can write, and what it accepts as input.
| Metric | LFM2.5-2.6B | Qwen3 Coder Next |
|---|---|---|
| Context window | 128K tokens | 262K tokens |
| Max output | 8K tokens | 236K tokens |
| Input types | Text | Text |
| Output types | Text | Text |
| Reasoning effort levels | Not available | Not available |
| Default reasoning effort | Not available | Not available |
| Release date | August 11, 2026 | February 4, 2026 |
Features
Supported features
API features available for each model.
| Metric | LFM2.5-2.6B | Qwen3 Coder Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tool calling | Supported | Supported |
| Structured outputs | Supported | Supported |
| JSON mode | Supported | Supported |
| Reasoning | Supported | Not supported |
| Temperature | Supported | Supported |
| Stop sequences | Supported | Supported |
| Deterministic seed | Supported | Supported |
| Verbosity control | Not supported | Not supported |
Keep exploring
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Our take
Qwen3 Coder Next is 1.5x cheaper for a typical chat. Qwen3 Coder Next scores higher on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (9.2 vs 8.4). Qwen3 Coder Next has the larger context window (262K vs 128K tokens). The right pick depends on your workload, so the quickest way to settle it is to send the same prompt to both and compare.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is LFM2.5-2.6B or Qwen3 Coder Next cheaper?
Qwen3 Coder Next is cheaper for a typical chat (2K input tokens and 500 output tokens). Qwen3 Coder Next costs $0.12 per 1M input tokens and $0.80 per 1M output tokens, while LFM2.5-2.6B costs $0.35 per 1M input tokens and $0.50 per 1M output tokens.
Which has a bigger context window, LFM2.5-2.6B or Qwen3 Coder Next?
Qwen3 Coder Next supports up to 262K tokens of context, compared with 128K for LFM2.5-2.6B.
Is LFM2.5-2.6B smarter than Qwen3 Coder Next?
On the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, LFM2.5-2.6B scores 8.4 and Qwen3 Coder Next scores 9.2, putting Qwen3 Coder Next ahead. Benchmarks don't capture everything, so the best test is running your own prompts through both.
Can I use LFM2.5-2.6B and Qwen3 Coder Next at the same time?
Yes. Shortcut Chat sends one prompt to multiple models at once, so you can see LFM2.5-2.6B and Qwen3 Coder Next answer side by side and keep the better response.
Why choose? Ask both.
Send one prompt to LFM2.5-2.6B and Qwen3 Coder Next at the same time. Compare the answers side by side and keep the best one.