# Grok 4.6 vs Claude Opus 5

> Markdown mirror of https://router.one/models/compare/grok-4-6-vs-claude-opus-5 for AI assistants and crawlers. Router One is a unified, OpenAI-compatible LLM API gateway.

Grok 4.6 is the lower-priced of the two on Router One at base-tier rates (Grok 4.6: request input ≤ 200,000 tokens) — about 67% less on a 1M-input + 1M-output mix. Grok 4.6 offers 500K of context vs 1.05M for Claude Opus 5. Grok 4.6 answers on /v1/chat/completions and /v1/responses (Codex CLI); Claude Opus 5 on /v1/chat/completions and /v1/messages (Claude Code). Grok 4.6 counts against the Mid-tier models allowance on Pro, Max and Ultra; Claude Opus 5 counts against the Premium models allowance on Pro, Max and Ultra.

Grok 4.6 and Claude Opus 5 compared on current per-token rates, context window, and capabilities — both callable through one OpenAI-compatible endpoint with per-request cost traces.

## Grok 4.6 vs Claude Opus 5: rates, context window, and capabilities

| Spec | Grok 4.6 | Claude Opus 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Input / 1M tokens | $1.10 | $2.25 |
| Output / 1M tokens | $3.30 | $11.25 |
| Cached input / 1M tokens | $0.275 | $0.375 |
| Context window | 500K | 1.05M |
| Capabilities | Chat, Streaming, Tool calling, Vision | Chat, Streaming, Tool calling, Vision |
| Subscription plans | Mid-tier models — Pro, Max, Ultra | Premium models — Pro, Max, Ultra |
| Detail page | [Grok 4.6](https://router.one/models/grok-4-6) | [Claude Opus 5](https://router.one/models/claude-opus-5) |

Grok 4.6: request input ≤ 200,000 tokens: Input $1.10 / 1M tokens, Output $3.30 / 1M tokens, Cache write $1.10 / 1M tokens, Cached input $0.275 / 1M tokens; request input > 200,000 tokens: Input $2.20 / 1M tokens, Output $6.60 / 1M tokens, Cache write $2.20 / 1M tokens, Cached input $0.55 / 1M tokens. The total input tokens in each request select the tier; its rates apply to the whole request, not only tokens above the threshold.

## What does 1M tokens cost on Grok 4.6 vs Claude Opus 5?

Base-tier rates: For a workload of 1M input plus 1M output tokens at current rates: Grok 4.6 comes to $4.40, Claude Opus 5 comes to $13.50 — Grok 4.6 is about 67% cheaper on this mix. Real workloads skew heavily toward input tokens, so weigh the input rate by your own ratio; the cached-input row above is the posted catalog rate for that model.

## Switch between Grok 4.6 and Claude Opus 5

Both models answer on /v1/chat/completions, so an A/B test there is a one-string change — same key, same code, and every request traced with tokens, cost, and latency in the dashboard. Claude Code uses /v1/messages, which Router One lists for Claude Opus 5 but not Grok 4.6; Codex CLI uses /v1/responses, which Router One lists for Grok 4.6 but not Claude Opus 5 — so in those tools, switch the tool (or call /v1/chat/completions), not only the model string.

`compare.sh`

```bash
curl https://api.router.one/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-your-router-one-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "grok-4.6", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'

# Same request, other model — change one string:
#   "model": "anthropic/claude-opus-5"
```

## FAQ

### Is Grok 4.6 cheaper than Claude Opus 5?

Compared at base-tier rates (Grok 4.6: request input ≤ 200,000 tokens). Input: Grok 4.6 $1.10 vs Claude Opus 5 $2.25 / 1M tokens; Grok 4.6 has the lower rate. Output: Grok 4.6 $3.30 vs Claude Opus 5 $11.25 / 1M tokens; Grok 4.6 has the lower rate. Total cost depends on the workload's input, output and cache usage. Grok 4.6: request input ≤ 200,000 tokens: Input $1.10 / 1M tokens, Output $3.30 / 1M tokens, Cache write $1.10 / 1M tokens, Cached input $0.275 / 1M tokens; request input > 200,000 tokens: Input $2.20 / 1M tokens, Output $6.60 / 1M tokens, Cache write $2.20 / 1M tokens, Cached input $0.55 / 1M tokens. The total input tokens in each request select the tier; its rates apply to the whole request, not only tokens above the threshold. Rates change; the /models page is the live source of truth.

### Is Grok 4.6 or Claude Opus 5 included in a Router One subscription?

Grok 4.6 counts against the Mid-tier models allowance on Pro, Max and Ultra: Pro 1,200, Max 4,500 and Ultra 15,000 requests per 30-day cycle, shared by every model in that tier. Claude Opus 5 counts against the Premium models allowance on Pro, Max and Ultra: Pro 300, Max 1,000 and Ultra 5,000 requests per 30-day cycle, shared by every model in that tier. Requests to Grok 4.6 or Claude Opus 5 above the model's long-context threshold count as more than one quota request. Requests beyond a plan's allowance bill the wallet per token.

### Can I switch between Grok 4.6 and Claude Opus 5 without changing code?

On /v1/chat/completions, yes — change the model string; the key and base URL stay the same. Claude Code uses /v1/messages, which Router One lists for Claude Opus 5 but not Grok 4.6; Codex CLI uses /v1/responses, which Router One lists for Grok 4.6 but not Claude Opus 5 — so in those tools, switch the tool (or call /v1/chat/completions), not only the model string.

### Where do these numbers come from?

Specs and prices on this page render from the live Router One catalog — the same data as the /models page — and refresh with it. Pricing methodology is documented on /pricing-methodology. Rates on this page were read from the live catalog on 2026-09-30 (UTC) and refresh within the hour.

## More comparisons

- [Claude Opus 5 vs Claude Opus 4.8](https://router.one/models/compare/claude-opus-5-vs-claude-opus-4-8)
- [Claude Fable 5 vs Claude Opus 5](https://router.one/models/compare/claude-fable-5-vs-claude-opus-5)
- [Grok 4.6 vs GPT-5.6 Sol](https://router.one/models/compare/grok-4-6-vs-gpt-5-6-sol)
- [Grok 4.6 vs Grok 4.5](https://router.one/models/compare/grok-4-6-vs-grok-4-5)

## See also

- Canonical page: https://router.one/models/compare/grok-4-6-vs-claude-opus-5
- All model comparisons: https://router.one/models/compare
- All models & prices: https://router.one/models (markdown: https://router.one/models.md)
- Pricing: https://router.one/pricing
- Grok API in China: https://router.one/grok-api-china
- Claude API access: https://router.one/cheap-claude-api
- Cost calculator: https://router.one/llm-cost-calculator
- Pricing methodology: https://router.one/pricing-methodology