Verified 2026 API Rates • Prompt Caching & Batch ROI

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout

Compare real-world API costs for Llama 3.3 70B Versatile ($0.59/$0.79) vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout ($0.1/$0.3). Calculate Prompt Caching ROI & Batch API savings.

Meta: Llama 4 Scout saves up to 83% on base input tokens
Groq

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile

llama-3.3-70b
Base Input Rate
$0.59 / 1M
Output Rate
$0.79 / 1M
Prompt Cache Read
$0.29 / 1M (-50%)
Cache Write Surcharge
$0.00 (Free write)
Batch API Discount
-50% Off
Context Window
128k tokens
Quality Index (MMLU)
86.4
Meta

Meta: Llama 4 Scout

llama-4-scout
Base Input Rate
$0.10 / 1M
Output Rate
$0.30 / 1M
Prompt Cache Read
$0.10 / 1M (-0%)
Cache Write Surcharge
$0.00 (Free write)
Batch API Discount
Not Supported
Context Window
1,310.72k tokens
Quality Index (MMLU)
78
Differential Module 1

Prompt Caching ROI & Write Surcharge Break-Even Analysis

Prompt caching drastically reduces input token costs for static prefixes like system prompts, tool schemas, and document chunks. Compare caching mechanisms between Llama 3.3 70B Versatile and Meta: Llama 4 Scout:

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile Caching Profile-50% read discount

  • Cached Read Price: $0.295 per 1M tokens.
  • Write Surcharge: $0.00 (automatic caching with zero write penalty).
  • Minimum Cache Prefix: 1,024 tokens.
  • Amortization Rule: Immediate net savings from first cached read call.

Meta: Llama 4 Scout Caching Profile-0% read discount

  • Cached Read Price: $0.100 per 1M tokens.
  • Write Surcharge: $0.00 (automatic caching with zero write penalty).
  • Minimum Cache Prefix: 1,024 tokens.
  • Amortization Rule: Immediate net savings from first cached read call.
Differential Module 2

Batch API 50% Discount Offload vs Real-Time SLA

Asynchronous Batch APIs cut total token expenditures in half (50% off input and output) in exchange for non-realtime execution (up to 24-hour turnaround SLA).

Model / ArchitectureStandard Input / OutputBatch 50% Off Input / OutputTurnaround SLAOptimal Use Cases
Llama 3.3 70B Versatile$0.59 / $0.79$0.29 / $0.40 (-50%)24 Hours max (typically 30m - 2h)Bulk evaluation, dataset labeling, background summarization
Meta: Llama 4 Scout$0.10 / $0.30Standard on-demand rateInstant real-timeOffline document translation, embedding backfills, test suites
Differential Module 3

Context Window Escalation & Tiered Pricing Architecture

Massive context windows allow ingesting entire repositories or books, but pricing models differ drastically between flat-rate vendors and tiered step-up pricing.

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile Context Capacity

Provides a 128k token context window with a maximum output limit of 32.768k tokens.✓ Flat-rate billing across all prompt sizes up to max context ceiling.

Meta: Llama 4 Scout Context Capacity

Provides a 1,310.72k token context window with a maximum output limit of 16.384k tokens.✓ Flat-rate billing across all prompt sizes up to max context ceiling.

Quill Strategic Content

Real-World Production Scenarios: Monthly Spend Projections

Pre-computed monthly engineering bill projections across 3 representative enterprise application workloads:

Scenario 1

RAG Knowledge Base & Enterprise Search

100,000 queries/month, 3,500 input tokens (system + 5 retrieved chunks), 400 output tokens, 75% prompt cache hit rate.

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile:$160.66/mo
Meta: Llama 4 Scout:$47.00/mo
Delta Savings:-$113.66 (71%)
Architecture Verdict:Meta: Llama 4 Scout delivers 71% lower monthly spend ($113.66/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Scenario 2

Multi-Turn Coding Agent & ReAct Loops

25,000 tasks/month, 8,000 input tokens (accumulating conversation context & tool schemas), 1,200 output tokens, 85% cache hit rate.

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile:$84.68/mo
Meta: Llama 4 Scout:$29.00/mo
Delta Savings:-$55.68 (66%)
Architecture Verdict:Meta: Llama 4 Scout delivers 66% lower monthly spend ($55.68/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Scenario 3

High-Throughput Offline Data Extraction

500,000 records/month, 1,500 input tokens, 250 output tokens, 100% batch offload (24-hour turnaround SLA).

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile:$248.50/mo
Meta: Llama 4 Scout:$112.50/mo
Delta Savings:-$136.00 (55%)
Architecture Verdict:Meta: Llama 4 Scout delivers 55% lower monthly spend ($136.00/mo savings) for this workload profile.
Motor Interactivo en Tiempo Real

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout

Cálculos de costos mensuales en 3 cargas de trabajo empresariales habituales (RAG, Agente de Código y Limpieza por Lotes):

Live 50ms Engine
Peticiones Mensuales100,000
Tokens de Entrada / Pet.4,000
Tokens de Salida1,000
Tasa de Acierto de Caché70%
Descarga a Batch API0%
Meta: Llama 4 Scout Más Económico

ahorra aproximadamente

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile$232.40$2.324// 1k peticiones
vs
Meta: Llama 4 Scout$70.00$0.700// 1k peticiones
Developer FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions: Llama 3.3 70B Versatile vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout

Authoritative answers on API rate limits, pricing math, break-even thresholds, and architectural migration.

1Which model is cheaper overall: Llama 3.3 70B Versatile or Meta: Llama 4 Scout?

At base pricing, Llama 3.3 70B Versatile costs $0.59/1M input and $0.79/1M output, while Meta: Llama 4 Scout costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output. The cheaper option depends on your input-to-output token ratio and whether prompt caching or batch discounts are utilized.

2How does Prompt Caching impact the cost of Llama 3.3 70B Versatile vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout?

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile offers a 50% read discount ($0.295/1M), whereas Meta: Llama 4 Scout provides a 0% read discount ($0.1/1M). High cache hit ratios (>70%) significantly compress the cost delta in agentic and RAG architectures.

3Can I use Batch API with Llama 3.3 70B Versatile or Meta: Llama 4 Scout to save 50%?

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile supports 50% batch offload discounts for asynchronous 24-hour turnaround tasks. Meta: Llama 4 Scout uses low base on-demand pricing.

4What are the context window limits and tiered pricing rules for Llama 3.3 70B Versatile vs Meta: Llama 4 Scout?

Llama 3.3 70B Versatile features a 128k context window with flat per-token pricing. In comparison, Meta: Llama 4 Scout supports 1,310.72k tokens with flat per-token pricing.