Best open-weights AI model to run yourself
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The verdict
- Scores 55 on overall, #3 of 10 models we track for this job.
- $0.43 per 1,000 replies.
- Also the cheapest model that passes our test for this job.
- Scores 65 on overall, the highest of 10 models we track for this job.
- $10.50 per 1,000 replies: the extra $10.08 per 1,000 buys 10 more points.
- Open weights: you can run it on your own servers.
Open weights mean you can run the model on your own hardware, so your data never leaves your servers. You trade some quality, and you take on the hosting.
How we tested
Quality is the overall score. Prices shown are what hosted providers charge for the same open model, a fair guide to what running it costs before your own hardware.
Scores are provisional until our own test rig runs these tasks. A model “passes our test” for this job at a score of 35 or more.
Scores and cost at your volume
| Model | Score | Passes | 1k replies a month | 10k replies a month | 100k replies a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi K3 · open | 65 | Yes | $10.50 | $105 | $1050 |
| GLM-5.3 · open | 61 | Yes | $3.86 | $38.60 | $386 |
| GLM-5.3-Flash · open | 55 | Yes | $0.43 | $4.25 | $42.50 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro · open | 53 | Yes | $3.56 | $35.64 | $356 |
| Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B · open | 34 | No | $1.86 | $18.60 | $186 |
| MiniMax-M3 · open | 31 | No | $0.93 | $9.30 | $93.00 |
| Gemma 4 31B IT · open | 28 | No | $0.46 | $4.60 | $46.00 |
| Nemotron 3.5 Super VL · open | 27 | No | $0.43 | $4.25 | $42.50 |
| Mistral Medium 3.5 · open | 18 | No | $5.25 | $52.50 | $525 |
| Qwen3.6 27B · open | 18 | No | $2.34 | $23.40 | $234 |
One reply is about 1,500 tokens in and 400 out, at list prices. Try your own numbers in the cost calculator.
Who should pick something else
- If you don’t have an engineer to run servers, a hosted closed model with a zero-retention option is simpler.
- For the very best quality regardless of privacy, see the best overall picks in the other guides.
Questions
What is the best open-source AI model?
The best overall pick below has the highest overall score among open-weights models we track.
Is open weights the same as open source?
Not always. Open weights means you can download and run the model; the licence may still limit commercial use, so read it.
Changes to this guide
- 25 Oct 2026: First version, on provisional scores from Arena and Epoch AI.