Pick Grok 4 for 256k context with native tool use or real-time data via x integration. Pick Muse Spark 1.3 for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2 or deepswe v1.1 long-horizon software engineering (75.4). On a tight budget at scale, Muse Spark 1.3 is the value pick.
Grok 4 (xAI) and Muse Spark 1.3 (Meta) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Grok 4 is xAI's 2M-context model with live data access and strong reasoning chops. Muse Spark 1.3 is meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review. They diverge most on price and context window — each quantified below from the models' real specs.
Key differences
Price: Muse Spark 1.3 is about 2.4× cheaper on input ($1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens vs $3/$15 per 1M tokens) — meaningful once you are processing millions of tokens a month.
Context window: Muse Spark 1.3 holds 3.9× more — 1M tokens (~1,500 pages) vs 256K (~384 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
Recency: Muse Spark 1.3 is the newer model by about 14 months (released September 2, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Specifications
Spec
Grok 4
Muse Spark 1.3
Provider
xAI (US)
Meta (US)
Released
July 9, 2025
September 2, 2026
Context window
256K (~384 pages)
1M tokens (~1,500 pages)
Price (in/out)
$3/$15 per 1M tokens
$1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image, code
text, image, video
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
98.1%
Who wins what
256K context with native tool use: Grok 4 — Grok 4 lists 256K context with native tool use among its strengths; Muse Spark 1.3 does not.
Real-time data via X integration: Grok 4 — Grok 4 lists real-time data via X integration among its strengths; Muse Spark 1.3 does not.
Strong academic reasoning: Grok 4 — Muse Spark 1.3 is comparatively weak here — strongest 'max' reasoning configuration still gated pending additional safety testing
Agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than Muse Spark 1.2: Muse Spark 1.3 — Its 1M tokens window holds about 3.9× more than Grok 4's 256K in a single prompt.
DeepSWE v1.1 long-horizon software engineering (75.4): Muse Spark 1.3 — Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review — and it runs cheaper at $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens.
Near-perfect long-context retrieval (MRCR v2 512K-1M: 98.1): Muse Spark 1.3 — Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review — and it carries the larger 1M tokens context.
Lowest cost at scale: Muse Spark 1.3 — At $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens, it is the cheaper of the two — the gap dominates the bill on high-volume workloads.
Largest single-prompt input: Muse Spark 1.3 — Its 1M tokens window is about 3.9× larger than Grok 4's 256K, fitting roughly 1,500 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume: Muse Spark 1.3 — At $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens it undercuts Grok 4, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases: Muse Spark 1.3 — Larger 1M tokens window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is 256k context with native tool use: Grok 4 — It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2: Muse Spark 1.3 — That is its strongest area.
Grok 4: where it fits
XAI's 2M-context model with live data access and strong reasoning chops. Released July 9, 2025 by xAI, it is built for 256K context with native tool use, real-time data via X integration, strong academic reasoning, and no long-context surcharge.
Its trade-offs are real: smaller ecosystem than OpenAI/Google, and less independent benchmark coverage. At $3 in / $15 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
Muse Spark 1.3: where it fits
Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review. Released September 2, 2026 by Meta, it is built for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than Muse Spark 1.2, deepSWE v1.1 long-horizon software engineering (75.4), near-perfect long-context retrieval (MRCR v2 512K-1M: 98.1), and ranks third overall on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (score 61, xhigh variant; the limited-preview max variant scores 62) - behind only Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Opus 5.
Its trade-offs: strongest 'max' reasoning configuration still gated pending additional safety testing, not yet open-weight, despite Meta roadmapping a future Muse Spark weights release, and no official SWE-bench Verified score published. At $1.25 in / $4.25 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Grok 4 and Muse Spark 1.3 overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Muse Spark 1.3 costs less per token; Muse Spark 1.3 holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Grok 4 for 256k context with native tool use, Muse Spark 1.3 for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grok 4 or Muse Spark 1.3 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, Grok 4 leans toward 256k context with native tool use while Muse Spark 1.3 leans toward agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Grok 4 or Muse Spark 1.3?
Muse Spark 1.3 is cheaper — $3/$15 per 1M tokens vs $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens, roughly 2.4× apart on input.
Which has the bigger context window?
Muse Spark 1.3 — 1M tokens vs 256K, about 3.9× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Can I use both Grok 4 and Muse Spark 1.3 together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Grok 4, Muse Spark 1.3 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, Grok 4 or Muse Spark 1.3?
Muse Spark 1.3 — released September 2, 2026, about 14 months after Grok 4.
Grok 4 vs Muse Spark 1.3
xAI · US | Meta · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Pick Grok 4 for 256k context with native tool use or real-time data via x integration. Pick Muse Spark 1.3 for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2 or deepswe v1.1 long-horizon software engineering (75.4). On a tight budget at scale, Muse Spark 1.3 is the value pick.
Grok 4 (xAI) and Muse Spark 1.3 (Meta) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Grok 4 is xAI's 2M-context model with live data access and strong reasoning chops. Muse Spark 1.3 is meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review. They diverge most on price and context window — each quantified below from the models' real specs.
Key differences at a glance
▸Price: Muse Spark 1.3 is about 2.4× cheaper on input ($1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens vs $3/$15 per 1M tokens) — meaningful once you are processing millions of tokens a month.
▸Context window: Muse Spark 1.3 holds 3.9× more — 1M tokens (~1,500 pages) vs 256K (~384 pages). But effective recall usually fades long before the advertised ceiling, so the bigger number only helps if the model reasons over it.
▸Recency: Muse Spark 1.3 is the newer model by about 14 months (released September 2, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
Spec
Grok 4
Muse Spark 1.3
Provider
xAI (US)
Meta (US)
Released
July 9, 2025
September 2, 2026
Context window
256K (~384 pages)
1M tokens (~1,500 pages)
Price (in/out)
$3/$15 per 1M tokens
$1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text, image, code
text, image, video
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
98.1%
Who wins what
256K context with native tool use
Grok 4
Grok 4 lists 256K context with native tool use among its strengths; Muse Spark 1.3 does not.
Real-time data via X integration
Grok 4
Grok 4 lists real-time data via X integration among its strengths; Muse Spark 1.3 does not.
Strong academic reasoning
Grok 4
Muse Spark 1.3 is comparatively weak here — strongest 'max' reasoning configuration still gated pending additional safety testing
Agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than Muse Spark 1.2
Muse Spark 1.3
Its 1M tokens window holds about 3.9× more than Grok 4's 256K in a single prompt.
Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review — and it runs cheaper at $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens.
Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review — and it carries the larger 1M tokens context.
Lowest cost at scale
Muse Spark 1.3
At $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens, it is the cheaper of the two — the gap dominates the bill on high-volume workloads.
Largest single-prompt input
Muse Spark 1.3
Its 1M tokens window is about 3.9× larger than Grok 4's 256K, fitting roughly 1,500 pages in one prompt.
Which should you pick?
A cost-sensitive startup shipping high volume
→ Muse Spark 1.3
At $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens it undercuts Grok 4, and on millions of tokens that margin decides the monthly bill.
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases
→ Muse Spark 1.3
Larger 1M tokens window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is 256k context with native tool use
→ Grok 4
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2
→ Muse Spark 1.3
That is its strongest area.
Grok 4: where it fits
XAI's 2M-context model with live data access and strong reasoning chops. Released July 9, 2025 by xAI, it is built for 256K context with native tool use, real-time data via X integration, strong academic reasoning, and no long-context surcharge.
Its trade-offs are real: smaller ecosystem than OpenAI/Google, and less independent benchmark coverage. At $3 in / $15 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
Muse Spark 1.3: where it fits
Meta's September 2, 2026 agentic-coding model update, cutting tool calls and token usage versus Muse Spark 1.2 while its highest-reasoning mode remains gated for safety review. Released September 2, 2026 by Meta, it is built for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than Muse Spark 1.2, deepSWE v1.1 long-horizon software engineering (75.4), near-perfect long-context retrieval (MRCR v2 512K-1M: 98.1), and ranks third overall on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (score 61, xhigh variant; the limited-preview max variant scores 62) - behind only Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Opus 5.
Its trade-offs: strongest 'max' reasoning configuration still gated pending additional safety testing, not yet open-weight, despite Meta roadmapping a future Muse Spark weights release, and no official SWE-bench Verified score published. At $1.25 in / $4.25 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Grok 4 and Muse Spark 1.3 overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Muse Spark 1.3 costs less per token; Muse Spark 1.3 holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Grok 4 for 256k context with native tool use, Muse Spark 1.3 for agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Want both Grok 4 and Muse Spark 1.3 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.
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, Grok 4 leans toward 256k context with native tool use while Muse Spark 1.3 leans toward agentic coding with ~20% fewer tool calls and ~25% fewer tokens than muse spark 1.2, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Grok 4 or Muse Spark 1.3?
Muse Spark 1.3 is cheaper — $3/$15 per 1M tokens vs $1.25/$4.25 per 1M tokens, roughly 2.4× apart on input.
Which has the bigger context window?
Muse Spark 1.3 — 1M tokens vs 256K, about 3.9× larger. Useful only if the model actually reasons over the full window, which not all do.
Can I use both Grok 4 and Muse Spark 1.3 together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Grok 4, Muse Spark 1.3 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, Grok 4 or Muse Spark 1.3?
Muse Spark 1.3 — released September 2, 2026, about 14 months after Grok 4.
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.