Pick Apple Foundation Models 3 for runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline or the 20b sparse 'core advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in apple's own testing versus the prior generation. Pick Grok Code Fast 1 for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50 or low-latency code generation and terminal tasks. On a tight budget at scale, Apple Foundation Models 3 is the value pick.
Apple Foundation Models 3 (Apple) and Grok Code Fast 1 (xAI) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Apple Foundation Models 3 is apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone. Grok Code Fast 1 is xAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality. They diverge most on price and context window — each quantified below from the models' real specs.
Key differences
Context window: Grok Code Fast 1 holds 63× more — 256K (~384 pages) vs 4K (~6 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
Recency: Apple Foundation Models 3 is the newer model by about 9 months (released June 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Specifications
Spec
Apple Foundation Models 3
Grok Code Fast 1
Provider
Apple (US)
xAI (US)
Released
June 2026
August 28, 2025
Context window
4K (~6 pages)
256K (~384 pages)
Price (in/out)
Not published
$0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image
text, code
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
Not published
Who wins what
Runs entirely on-device on iPhone - no API call, no per-token cost, works offline: Apple Foundation Models 3 — Apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone — and it is the newer of the two.
The 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation: Apple Foundation Models 3 — Apple Foundation Models 3 lists the 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation among its strengths; Grok Code Fast 1 does not.
Deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too: Apple Foundation Models 3 — Apple Foundation Models 3 lists deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too among its strengths; Grok Code Fast 1 does not.
Fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50: Grok Code Fast 1 — XAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality — and it carries the larger 256K context.
Low-latency code generation and terminal tasks: Grok Code Fast 1 — Grok Code Fast 1 lists low-latency code generation and terminal tasks among its strengths; Apple Foundation Models 3 does not.
High-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality: Grok Code Fast 1 — Grok Code Fast 1 lists high-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality among its strengths; Apple Foundation Models 3 does not.
Lowest cost at scale: Apple Foundation Models 3 — Its weights are open, so at volume you pay for your own hardware instead of Grok Code Fast 1's $0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens.
Largest single-prompt input: Grok Code Fast 1 — Its 256K window is about 63× larger than Apple Foundation Models 3's 4K, fitting roughly 384 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume: Apple Foundation Models 3 — At Not published it undercuts Grok Code Fast 1, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases: Grok Code Fast 1 — Larger 256K window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline: Apple Foundation Models 3 — It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50: Grok Code Fast 1 — That is its strongest area.
Apple Foundation Models 3: where it fits
Apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone. Released June 2026 by Apple, it is built for runs entirely on-device on iPhone - no API call, no per-token cost, works offline, the 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation, deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too, and zero marginal cost and strong privacy - nothing leaves the device.
Its trade-offs are real: a genuinely small context window (about 4,096 tokens, shared between input and output) - far below cloud frontier models, not comparable in raw capability to frontier cloud models - built for efficiency and privacy, not benchmark leadership, and no public API pricing since it isn't sold per-token - only usable within Apple's own platforms.
Grok Code Fast 1: where it fits
XAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality. Released August 28, 2025 by xAI, it is built for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50, low-latency code generation and terminal tasks, high-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality, and a 256K window sized for real codebases.
Its trade-offs: text and code only — no image, audio or video input, xAI did not publish a SWE-Bench Verified score, a speed-tier coding model, not a frontier reasoner, and narrow focus — built for code, not general knowledge work. At $0.2 in / $1.5 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Apple Foundation Models 3 and Grok Code Fast 1 overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Apple Foundation Models 3 costs less per token; Grok Code Fast 1 holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Apple Foundation Models 3 for runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline, Grok Code Fast 1 for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1 better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Apple Foundation Models 3 leans toward runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline while Grok Code Fast 1 leans toward fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1?
Apple Foundation Models 3 is cheaper — Not published vs $0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens.
Which has the bigger context window?
Grok Code Fast 1 — 256K vs 4K, about 63× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Can I use both Apple Foundation Models 3 and Grok Code Fast 1 together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Apple Foundation Models 3, Grok Code Fast 1 and 40+ others under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day), so you can draft with one and cross-check with the other instead of buying two subscriptions.
Which is newer, Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1?
Apple Foundation Models 3 — released June 2026, about 9 months after Grok Code Fast 1.
Apple Foundation Models 3 vs Grok Code Fast 1
Apple · US | xAI · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Pick Apple Foundation Models 3 for runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline or the 20b sparse 'core advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in apple's own testing versus the prior generation. Pick Grok Code Fast 1 for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50 or low-latency code generation and terminal tasks. On a tight budget at scale, Apple Foundation Models 3 is the value pick.
Apple Foundation Models 3 (Apple) and Grok Code Fast 1 (xAI) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Apple Foundation Models 3 is apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone. Grok Code Fast 1 is xAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality. They diverge most on price and context window — each quantified below from the models' real specs.
Key differences at a glance
▸Context window: Grok Code Fast 1 holds 63× more — 256K (~384 pages) vs 4K (~6 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
▸Recency: Apple Foundation Models 3 is the newer model by about 9 months (released June 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
Spec
Apple Foundation Models 3
Grok Code Fast 1
Provider
Apple (US)
xAI (US)
Released
June 2026
August 28, 2025
Context window
4K (~6 pages)
256K (~384 pages)
Price (in/out)
Not published
$0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image
text, code
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
Not published
Who wins what
Runs entirely on-device on iPhone - no API call, no per-token cost, works offline
Apple Foundation Models 3
Apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone — and it is the newer of the two.
The 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation
Apple Foundation Models 3
Apple Foundation Models 3 lists the 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation among its strengths; Grok Code Fast 1 does not.
Deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too
Apple Foundation Models 3
Apple Foundation Models 3 lists deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too among its strengths; Grok Code Fast 1 does not.
Fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50
Grok Code Fast 1
XAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality — and it carries the larger 256K context.
Low-latency code generation and terminal tasks
Grok Code Fast 1
Grok Code Fast 1 lists low-latency code generation and terminal tasks among its strengths; Apple Foundation Models 3 does not.
High-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality
Grok Code Fast 1
Grok Code Fast 1 lists high-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality among its strengths; Apple Foundation Models 3 does not.
Lowest cost at scale
Apple Foundation Models 3
Its weights are open, so at volume you pay for your own hardware instead of Grok Code Fast 1's $0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens.
Largest single-prompt input
Grok Code Fast 1
Its 256K window is about 63× larger than Apple Foundation Models 3's 4K, fitting roughly 384 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume
→ Apple Foundation Models 3
At Not published it undercuts Grok Code Fast 1, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases
→ Grok Code Fast 1
Larger 256K window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline
→ Apple Foundation Models 3
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50
→ Grok Code Fast 1
That is its strongest area.
Apple Foundation Models 3: where it fits
Apple's on-device model family - genuinely small context and no API access, but private, offline, and free to run on every iPhone. Released June 2026 by Apple, it is built for runs entirely on-device on iPhone - no API call, no per-token cost, works offline, the 20B sparse 'Core Advanced' variant lifted on-device output quality from 23% to 46% user preference in Apple's own testing versus the prior generation, deep integration with iOS apps via the Foundation Models framework, now open to third-party LLM providers too, and zero marginal cost and strong privacy - nothing leaves the device.
Its trade-offs are real: a genuinely small context window (about 4,096 tokens, shared between input and output) - far below cloud frontier models, not comparable in raw capability to frontier cloud models - built for efficiency and privacy, not benchmark leadership, and no public API pricing since it isn't sold per-token - only usable within Apple's own platforms.
Grok Code Fast 1: where it fits
XAI's speed-tier coding model at $0.20/$1.50 with a 256K window — cheap, fast agentic code over frontier quality. Released August 28, 2025 by xAI, it is built for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50, low-latency code generation and terminal tasks, high-volume coding pipelines where speed beats peak quality, and a 256K window sized for real codebases.
Its trade-offs: text and code only — no image, audio or video input, xAI did not publish a SWE-Bench Verified score, a speed-tier coding model, not a frontier reasoner, and narrow focus — built for code, not general knowledge work. At $0.2 in / $1.5 out per million tokens, it sits in the budget price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Apple Foundation Models 3 and Grok Code Fast 1 overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Apple Foundation Models 3 costs less per token; Grok Code Fast 1 holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Apple Foundation Models 3 for runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline, Grok Code Fast 1 for fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Want both Apple Foundation Models 3 and Grok Code Fast 1 without two subscriptions? LumiChats gives you these plus 40+ models under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day) — draft with one, cross-check with the other.
Is Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1 better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Apple Foundation Models 3 leans toward runs entirely on-device on iphone - no api call, no per-token cost, works offline while Grok Code Fast 1 leans toward fast, cheap agentic coding at $0.20/$1.50, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1?
Apple Foundation Models 3 is cheaper — Not published vs $0.2/$1.5 per 1M tokens.
Which has the bigger context window?
Grok Code Fast 1 — 256K vs 4K, about 63× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Can I use both Apple Foundation Models 3 and Grok Code Fast 1 together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Apple Foundation Models 3, Grok Code Fast 1 and 40+ others under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day), so you can draft with one and cross-check with the other instead of buying two subscriptions.
Which is newer, Apple Foundation Models 3 or Grok Code Fast 1?
Apple Foundation Models 3 — released June 2026, about 9 months after Grok Code Fast 1.
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.