Compare the listed model data for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) by Qwen and Kimi-K2 Instruct by Moonshot AI. Benchmark and pricing records are not a controlled test and may change.
Data last updated: 2026-10-16. Verify current model details with each provider.
What the listed data says
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; Kimi-K2 Instruct: 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal. Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks; Kimi-K2 Instruct is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks. Shared catalog benchmark entries: HumanEval: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 96.2%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 93.5%; LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.2%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 78.4%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.3%. These records are reference data, not a controlled head-to-head test; verify current pricing and specifications with each provider.
Catalog source links
Use these model and provider links to verify current specifications, pricing, and availability.
The first listed parameter quantities are 235B total (22B active via MoE) and 1T total (32B active via MoE); the larger quantity is 4.26× the smaller. Total and active MoE parameters are not directly equivalent.
The catalog release dates are April 2025 and July 2025, about 3 months apart at the precision supplied.
Cost example: 1M input and 1M output tokens
A cost example for 1M input plus 1M output tokens cannot be calculated reliably because separate numeric input and output rates are not listed for both models.
Choose Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) if…
Choose Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as Frontier-level coding: production systems, open-source contributions, Leetcode hard, Competition mathematics, physics, and chemistry at graduate level, Enterprise AI applications requiring highest available open-model quality, Long-form technical writing: whitepapers, research papers, documentation.
Choose Kimi-K2 Instruct if…
Choose Kimi-K2 Instruct when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as Elite software engineering AI: autonomous code review, bug fixing in production repos, Enterprise agentic systems with multi-tool orchestration, Frontier mathematical reasoning, 65.8% SWE-bench Verified — highest open-model software engineering score ever recorded.
Feature Comparison — Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) vs Kimi-K2 Instruct
Catalog specifications for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct
Specification
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)
Kimi-K2 Instruct
Provider
Qwen
Moonshot AI
Parameters
235B total (22B active via MoE)
1T total (32B active via MoE)
Context window
128K tokens
128K tokens
Maximum output
Not listed
Not listed
Catalog pricing
Open source — free to self-host. Third-party API ~$0.30-0.80/MTok
Moonshot API: beta. Research weights released. Third-party: emerging
Listed input/output cost per 1M tokens
Separate numeric input/output rates not listed
Separate numeric input/output rates not listed
License
Apache 2.0
Modified Apache 2.0 (Kimi K2 Model License)
Coding support
Listed
Listed
Reasoning support
Listed
Listed
Vision input
Not listed
Not listed
Multimodal
Not listed
Not listed
Open weights
Yes
Yes
Benchmark: HumanEval
96.2%
93.5%
Benchmark: LiveCodeBench
70.7%
75.2%
Benchmark: AIME 2025
85.7%
78.4%
Benchmark: GPQA Diamond
71.7%
75.3%
Figures are transcribed from LITHOVEX model records. Benchmark versions and evaluation setups may differ; pricing and specifications can change. Check each provider's current documentation before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is different between Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; Kimi-K2 Instruct: 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal. Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks; Kimi-K2 Instruct is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks. Shared catalog benchmark entries: HumanEval: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 96.2%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 93.5%; LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.2%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 78.4%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.3%. These records are reference data, not a controlled head-to-head test; verify current pricing and specifications with each provider.
What benchmark values are listed for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct?
HumanEval: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 96.2%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 93.5%; LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.2%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 78.4%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; Kimi-K2 Instruct 75.3%. The catalog values may use different versions and evaluation setups, so they are reference points rather than a controlled head-to-head result.
Which model has the larger listed context window?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; Kimi-K2 Instruct: 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal.
What are the listed costs per million tokens for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): Separate numeric input/output rates not listed (Open source — free to self-host. Third-party API ~$0.30-0.80/MTok). Kimi-K2 Instruct: Separate numeric input/output rates not listed (Moonshot API: beta. Research weights released. Third-party: emerging). Where separate numeric input and output rates are available, the worked example uses 1M input plus 1M output tokens. Confirm current terms with each provider.
How far apart are the listed release dates for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct?
The catalog lists Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) as April 2025 and Kimi-K2 Instruct as July 2025, about 3 months apart at the precision supplied.
When was the comparison data last updated?
The model catalog records 2026-10-16 as its data update date. Provider specifications and prices may have changed since then.
How should I choose between Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct?
Compare the listed specifications and capabilities, review the benchmark notes, then test both with the same representative prompt for your task. This page does not claim a universal winner.
Create your free LITHOVEX account and compare Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and Kimi-K2 Instruct on your actual tasks. No credit card, no API key, no subscriptions needed.