MiniMax and Cerebras Unveil Low‑Cost Coding Plans – Strong Alternatives to Claude Code
MiniMax and Cerebras Unveil Low‑Cost Coding Plans – Strong Alternatives to Claude Code
Introduction
The AI coding assistant market is heating up as MiniMax and Cerebras roll out new, budget‑friendly plans that directly challenge Anthropic’s Claude Code offerings. Both companies promise the same performance as their free APIs while introducing tiered subscription options that dramatically lower the cost per token and increase usage limits. This article breaks down the key features, pricing structures, and performance metrics of the new plans, and evaluates whether they represent a worthwhile investment for developers and enterprises.
MiniMax M2 Model Overview
MiniMax’s flagship open‑weight model, M2, continues to impress on benchmark suites. In recent Aentic tests it ranked second overall, and the author of this analysis reports daily usage that favors M2 over competing models such as GLM‑4.6.
- Open‑weight – freely downloadable and fine‑tunable.
- Performance – consistently matches or exceeds Claude’s Sonnet in head‑to‑head comparisons.
- Speed – the API delivers roughly 97 tokens per second, even under heavy free‑tier traffic.
- Reliability – uptime remains high with no reported throttling or latency spikes.
MiniMax hinted at two additional open‑weight releases slated for tomorrow: a smaller, faster model and a vision‑capable model. While early‑access details are scarce, these additions could further diversify the ecosystem.
API Pricing and Token Costs
Until today the MiniMax API has been free. Starting tomorrow, a modest pricing tier will be introduced:
- Input tokens: $0.30 per million (drops to $0.03 per million when caching is enabled).
- Output tokens: $120 per million.
These rates make MiniMax the cheapest model the author has used, roughly 13× cheaper than Anthropic’s Sonnet while delivering comparable results. Even high‑volume users are unlikely to exceed $20‑$30 per month under typical workloads.
Coding Plan Subscription Options
MiniMax’s new Coding Plans come in three price points, each offering a dramatically higher message allowance than comparable Claude plans:
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Approx. Messages per 5‑Hour Window | Relative Value vs. Claude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $10 | ~500 | 5× Claude Code Max, 10 % of the cost, 2× the usage limit |
| Professional | $20 | ~1,300 | 20× Claude Code Max, 10 % of the cost, 1.5× the usage limit |
| Enterprise | $50 | ~4,500 | 5× Claude Code Max 20×, 10 % of the cost, 5× the usage limit |
The plans are positioned as high‑throughput alternatives for developers who need continuous access to a coding‑focused LLM without the expense of Anthropic’s premium tiers.
Key Benefits
- Cost Efficiency: All three plans cost roughly one‑tenth of the comparable Claude subscriptions.
- Higher Limits: Message caps are 2‑5× larger, reducing the need for frequent plan upgrades.
- Speed Parity: Users retain the same ≈97 t/s throughput as the free API.
Cerebras Code Plan Highlights
In parallel, Cerebras introduced a separate Code Plan that grants access to its GLM‑4.6 model:
- $50 tier: Provides 1 million tokens per minute and 24 million tokens per day.
- $200 tier: Extends limits further, delivering ~1,000 t/s sustained throughput.
Both tiers are priced competitively against competitors such as Cursor’s Composer, offering faster response times and better generation quality. The author notes that the $50 plan is currently out of stock, but the API pricing remains attractive at $0.025 per million input tokens and $0.0275 per million output tokens (approximate values inferred from the transcript).
Comparative Analysis with Claude and Other Providers
| Feature | MiniMax (Coding Plans) | Cerebras (GLM‑4.6) | Anthropic Claude Code Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input Token Cost | $0.03 – $0.30 per M | $0.025 per M | $0.10 – $0.12 per M |
| Output Token Cost | $120 per M | $0.0275 per M | $0.12 per M |
| Throughput | ~97 t/s (free) | ~1,000 t/s (paid) | ~80‑100 t/s (varies) |
| Message Limits | 500‑4,500 per 5 h | 1 M tokens/min | Tier‑dependent, higher cost |
| Reliability | High, stable | High, fast | Generally stable but higher price |
The data suggest that MiniMax’s plans deliver the best price‑to‑performance ratio for developers focused on coding assistance, while Cerebras offers a high‑throughput option for token‑intensive workloads.
Future Model Roadmap
Both providers have hinted at upcoming releases that could reshape the competitive landscape:
- MiniMax: A smaller, ultra‑fast model and a vision‑enabled model slated for release soon.
- Cerebras: Continued scaling of GLM‑4.6 and potential integration of newer architectures.
- Industry: Anticipated launches of GPT‑5.1 and Google Gemini later this month, promising another wave of innovation.
These developments indicate that 2024 is shaping up to be a landmark year for AI model proliferation, with pricing and performance improvements accelerating across the board.
Conclusion
MiniMax’s newly announced Coding Plans and Cerebras’ high‑throughput Code Plan represent compelling, cost‑effective alternatives to Anthropic’s Claude Code services. With token costs an order of magnitude lower, substantial usage caps, and consistent performance, these offerings lower the barrier for developers and organizations seeking reliable AI‑assisted coding tools.
As the AI ecosystem continues to expand—with upcoming models from MiniMax, Cerebras, OpenAI, and Google—pricing pressure is likely to increase, benefitting end users. For teams that prioritize budget without sacrificing speed or reliability, adopting MiniMax or Cerebras today could provide a strategic advantage while the market evolves.