Command A vs LFM3-1.7B
Cohere · Global | Liquid AI · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Pick Command A for enterprise rag and retrieval or strong long-context retrieval accuracy. Pick LFM3-1.7B for very small open-weight text model - about 1.73b parameters with a 256k-token context for on-device use or liquid says it can power agentic applications that used to need 9b parameters. On a tight budget at scale, LFM3-1.7B is the value pick.
Command A (Cohere) and LFM3-1.7B (Liquid AI) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Command A is cohere's enterprise-focused model built for retrieval-augmented and grounded workloads. LFM3-1.7B is liquid AI's October 27, 2026 on-device text model - about 1.73B parameters and 256K context, with open weights under a license capped at $10M annual revenue. Their biggest split is price, and the breakdown below shows exactly how that plays out for your workload.
Key differences at a glance
- ▸Context window: both advertise 256K (~384 pages). Tie on paper — test on your own long inputs, since usable recall varies by model.
- ▸Recency: LFM3-1.7B is the newer model by about 20 months (released October 27, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | Command A | LFM3-1.7B |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Cohere (Global) | Liquid AI (US) |
| Released | March 2025 | October 27, 2026 |
| Context window | 256K (~384 pages) | 256K tokens (~384 pages) |
| Price (in/out) | $2.5/$10 per 1M tokens | Open weight (self-host / free) |
| Open weight? | Yes — self-hostable | Yes — self-hostable |
| Modalities | text, code | text |
| SWE-Bench Verified | Not published | Not published |
| MRCR v2 @ 1M | Not published | Not published |
Who wins what
Enterprise RAG and retrieval
Command A
Command A lists enterprise RAG and retrieval among its strengths; LFM3-1.7B does not.
Strong long-context retrieval accuracy
Command A
Command A lists strong long-context retrieval accuracy among its strengths; LFM3-1.7B does not.
Multilingual
Command A
Command A lists multilingual among its strengths; LFM3-1.7B does not.
Very small open-weight text model - about 1.73B parameters with a 256K-token context for on-device use
LFM3-1.7B
Liquid AI's October 27, 2026 on-device text model - about 1.73B parameters and 256K context, with open weights under a license capped at $10M annual revenue — and it is the newer of the two.
Liquid says it can power agentic applications that used to need 9B parameters
LFM3-1.7B
LFM3-1.7B lists liquid says it can power agentic applications that used to need 9B parameters among its strengths; Command A does not.
Part of a six-model LFM3 family covering text, vision, audio, omni and decision tasks
LFM3-1.7B
LFM3-1.7B lists part of a six-model LFM3 family covering text, vision, audio, omni and decision tasks among its strengths; Command A does not.
Lowest cost at scale
LFM3-1.7B
Its weights are open, so at volume you pay for your own hardware instead of Command A's $2.5/$10 per 1M tokens.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume
→ LFM3-1.7B
At Open weight (self-host / free) it undercuts Command A, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Anyone whose priority is enterprise rag and retrieval
→ Command A
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is very small open-weight text model - about 1.73b parameters with a 256k-token context for on-device use
→ LFM3-1.7B
That is its strongest area.
Command A: where it fits
Cohere's enterprise-focused model built for retrieval-augmented and grounded workloads. Released March 2025 by Cohere, it is built for enterprise RAG and retrieval, strong long-context retrieval accuracy, multilingual, and tool use.
Its trade-offs are real: less consumer presence, and narrower modality support. At $2.5 in / $10 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
LFM3-1.7B: where it fits
Liquid AI's October 27, 2026 on-device text model - about 1.73B parameters and 256K context, with open weights under a license capped at $10M annual revenue. Released October 27, 2026 by Liquid AI, it is built for very small open-weight text model - about 1.73B parameters with a 256K-token context for on-device use, liquid says it can power agentic applications that used to need 9B parameters, part of a six-model LFM3 family covering text, vision, audio, omni and decision tasks, and supports 16 languages.
Its trade-offs: lFM Open License v1.0 covers commercial use only below $10M annual revenue; larger firms need a paid license, liquid says it is not recommended for agentic coding or complex multi-step reasoning because of its size, text-only; vision and audio need other LFM3 checkpoints, and no published per-token API price found. As an open-weight model, its running cost is your own hardware rather than a per-token fee.
The bottom line for this matchup
Command A and LFM3-1.7B overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. LFM3-1.7B costs less per token; and each leads in its own area — Command A for enterprise rag and retrieval, LFM3-1.7B for very small open-weight text model - about 1.73b parameters with a 256k-token context for on-device use. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Want both Command A and LFM3-1.7B 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.
See pricingFrequently asked questions
Is Command A or LFM3-1.7B 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, Command A leans toward enterprise rag and retrieval while LFM3-1.7B leans toward very small open-weight text model - about 1.73b parameters with a 256k-token context for on-device use, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Command A or LFM3-1.7B?
LFM3-1.7B is cheaper — $2.5/$10 per 1M tokens vs Open weight (self-host / free).
Which has the bigger context window?
Both advertise 256K (~384 pages). Remember advertised ≠ usable: recall typically degrades before the ceiling.
Can I use both Command A and LFM3-1.7B together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Command A, LFM3-1.7B 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, Command A or LFM3-1.7B?
LFM3-1.7B — released October 27, 2026, about 20 months after Command A.
Related comparisons
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.