Looking for an honest Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 vs Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B comparison in 2026? We scored both ai language models on the same six-dimension framework — performance, battery, display, camera, design and value — using identical methodology, so the numbers below are directly comparable. In our overall scoring the Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B comes out ahead 54/100 to 59/100 — a 5-point gap. The widest gap is in display, where the Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 pulls noticeably ahead.
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Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B narrowly beats the Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 in the ai language models category, especially in design, scoring 59 vs 54. If you want the better overall ai language models, Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B is the recommended choice.
✓ Pros
✗ Cons
✓ Pros
✗ Cons
Lower cost = better value. Free = open-source self-hosted.
| Metric | Small 3 | 2.5 72B |
|---|---|---|
| Input (Prompt) | ✓$0.10/1M | $0.40/1M |
| Output (Completion) | ✓$0.30/1M | $1.20/1M |
| Open Source | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
Context Window (tokens)
| Metric | Small 3 | 2.5 72B |
|---|---|---|
| Max Output | 4,096 tok | ✓8,192 tok |
| Speed | ✓200 tok/s | 90 tok/s |
| Time to First Token | ✓250ms | 500ms |
| Languages | 12+ | ✓29+ |
Higher is better. Industry-standard AI evaluation benchmarks.
Small 3
2.5 72B
Small 3
2.5 72B
Small 3
2.5 72B
Small 3
2.5 72B
Small 3
2.5 72B
| Feature | Small 3 | 2.5 72B |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning / Chain-of-Thought | ✕ | ✕ |
| Vision (Image Input) | ✕ | ✕ |
| Audio Input | ✕ | ✕ |
| Video Input | ✕ | ✕ |
| Image/Audio Output | ✕ | ✕ |
| Function Calling / Tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| JSON Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time Web Access | ✕ | ✕ |
| Fine-tuning Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Batch API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Streaming | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Field | Small 3 | 2.5 72B |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Mistral AI | Alibaba |
| Parameters | 24B | 72B |
| Knowledge Cutoff | 2024-01 | 2024-09 |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Qwen Community |
| Best For | cost efficiencyopen sourceself hostinghigh volume | multilingualcodingopen sourceChinese language |
Buy Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 if…
The Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 is worth considering if you prefer its specific design, ecosystem, or brand — though it scores lower overall in our comparison.
Buy Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B if…
Buy the Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B if you want the best performance in this comparison. It scores higher overall and is the recommended choice for most buyers.
Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B narrowly beats the Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 in the ai language models category, especially in design, scoring 59 vs 54. If you want the better overall ai language models, Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B is the recommended choice.
No, Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B scores higher (75 vs 75).
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The Mistral AI Mistral Small 3 is worth considering if you prefer its specific design, ecosystem, or brand — though it scores lower overall in our comparison.
Buy the Alibaba Qwen 2.5 72B if you want the best performance in this comparison. It scores higher overall and is the recommended choice for most buyers.
Reviewed by VersusMatrix Editorial Team
Last updated: April 25, 2026
Methodology: AI-powered analysis of technical specifications from manufacturer data. Scores are calculated by comparing products across multiple dimensions and normalized relative to the full category database. Our editorial process is independent and not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Scores are relative within the ai language modelscategory. Percentages show each dimension's weight in the overall score. A difference of less than 0.5 points is considered a tie.