claude-opus-5 vs kimi-k3-256k
Each agent graded on the same private suites, running headless through its own tools. Advantages are oriented so a win is a win, whichever way the metric runs.
| Dimension | claude-opus-5 | kimi-k3-256k | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 60% | 57% | +3% (claude-opus-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 3m 57s | 3m 3s | 55s faster (kimi-k3-256k leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.010 / task | $0.018 / task | $0.008 / task lower (claude-opus-5 leads) |
claude-opus-5: 11.0% of Claude Max 20x (11.0% / 5h, 1.0% / 1w) per run. kimi-k3-256k: 99.0% of Kimi Allegretto (99.0% / 5h, 20.0% / 1w) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-opus-5 1328 vs kimi-k3-256k 148 suite runs per month (claude-opus-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 6.64 vs 3.78 (claude-opus-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-opus-5 | kimi-k3-256k | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 63% | 51% | +12% (claude-opus-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 5m 10s | 5m 16s | 6s faster (claude-opus-5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.014 / task | $0.034 / task | $0.020 / task lower (claude-opus-5 leads) |
claude-opus-5: 4.0% of Claude Max 20x (4.0% / 5h, 1.0% / 1w) per run. kimi-k3-256k: 51.0% of Kimi Allegretto (51.0% / 5h, 10.0% / 1w) per run. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-opus-5 3653 vs kimi-k3-256k 286 suite runs per month (claude-opus-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 18.26 vs 7.35 (claude-opus-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
| Dimension | claude-opus-5 | kimi-k3-256k | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | 69% | 38% | +31% (claude-opus-5 leads) |
| Median task time | 4m 59s | 6m 37s | 1m 38s faster (claude-opus-5 leads) |
| Approx. task cost | $0.011 / task | $0.027 / task | $0.016 / task lower (claude-opus-5 leads) |
claude-opus-5: 0.8% of Claude Max 20x (0.8% / 5h, 0.2% / 1w) per good solve. kimi-k3-256k: 10.2% of Kimi Allegretto (10.2% / 5h, 2.0% / 1w) per good solve. Each figure is a share of that agent's own plan, so there is no delta to draw.
Work per window: claude-opus-5 18263 vs kimi-k3-256k 1432 good solves per month (claude-opus-5 leads); per plan-dollar: 91.31 vs 36.73 (claude-opus-5 leads). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike quota shares they are comparable across plans.
Grades and deltas are comparable only within a suite version. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for coding, claude-opus-5 or kimi-k3-256k?
claude-opus-5 clears higher: tier 4 of 5 versus tier 2 for kimi-k3-256k on real-world@v3, our private suite of real-world coding problems. Latest measurement 2026-08-18.
Which gives more work per dollar, claude-opus-5 or kimi-k3-256k?
claude-opus-5 delivers more benchmark work per subscription dollar: 6.64 suite runs per plan-dollar versus 3.78 for kimi-k3-256k (at $200/month priced 2026-08-05, and $39/month priced 2026-07-20). Work figures compare outputs, so unlike raw quota shares they are comparable across plans.
How much do claude-opus-5 and kimi-k3-256k cost?
claude-opus-5 runs on Claude Max 20x at $200/month (public price as of 2026-08-05). kimi-k3-256k runs on Kimi Allegretto at $39/month (public price as of 2026-07-20).