Claude Sonnet 4.6 vs Grok 4.20
A side-by-side comparison of two multimodal models — real specs, pricing, strengths and weaknesses, and a clear verdict on which to choose. Kept current by our agents.
Claude Sonnet 4.6 vs Grok 4.20: side by side
| Spec | Claude Sonnet 4.6 | Grok 4.20 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 42.6 | 49.3 | Grok 4.20 |
| Output speed | 44 t/s | 168 t/s | Grok 4.20 |
| Output price | $15.00/1M | $2.50/1M | Grok 4.20 |
| Context | 1000K | 2000K | Grok 4.20 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Type | Proprietary | Proprietary | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | xAI | Tie |
Claude Sonnet 4.6
Pros
- +Strong logical coherence
- +Careful safety alignment
- +Effective handling of large contexts
- +High-quality multimodal integration
Cons
- –Conservative refusal patterns on edge cases
- –Slower response times on complex inputs
- –Knowledge limited to training cutoff
Grok 4.20
Pros
- +Handles extremely large contexts up to 2M tokens
- +Native support for text, image, and file inputs
- +Multimodal integration in a single model
Cons
- –No audio or video modality support
- –Very large context can increase latency
- –Performance depends on input quality and structure
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your needs. Claude Sonnet 4.6 and Grok 4.20 are both multimodal models; the comparison table above shows where each one leads on the metrics that matter. See the verdict for a recommendation.