Llama 3.1 405B vs Command A

Compare Llama 3.1 405B and Command A: pricing, performance, context window, latency, and best use cases. Side-by-side comparison on XALEN.

Updated 2026-05-21 · By Abhishek Raj · Our methodology

All Meta models All Cohere models What is an LLM API? Python Quickstart What is inference?
Feature Llama 3.1 405B Command A
CategoryOpen SourceEnterprise
Parameters405B111B (37B active)
Context Window128K256K
Input Price$0.08/1M tokens$0.025/1M tokens
Output Price$0.14/1M tokens$0.10/1M tokens
Latency~600ms~300ms

Choose Llama 3.1 405B when:

  • ✓ Premium tasks
  • ✓ Research
  • ✓ Fine-tuning base
Key Strengths:

Largest open model, Highest open-source quality

Choose Command A when:

  • ✓ Enterprise RAG
  • ✓ Document Q&A
  • ✓ Agentic workflows
Key Strengths:

Strong RAG, Agentic, 256K context

Verdict: Llama 3.1 405B vs Command A

For cost efficiency, Command A wins at $0.025/1M input tokens. For speed, Command A is faster at ~300ms. Llama 3.1 405B excels at Premium tasks while Command A is better for Enterprise RAG. Both are available on XALEN through a single API — try them in the Playground to see which fits your workload.

Detailed Analysis

Pricing Comparison

Llama 3.1 405B costs $0.08/1M input tokens and $0.14/1M output tokens. Command A costs $0.025 input and $0.10 output. Command A is 3.2x cheaper on input tokens. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.

Performance & Context

Llama 3.1 405B has a 128K context window with ~600ms latency. Command A offers 256K context at ~300ms. Command A has the larger context window.

Best For

Llama 3.1 405B (Open Source) is optimized for: Premium tasks, Research, Fine-tuning base. Command A (Enterprise) works best for: Enterprise RAG, Document Q&A, Agentic workflows.

Try Both on XALEN

Both models are available through XALEN's OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between them by changing the model parameter:

from xalen import XALEN

client = XALEN(api_key="xln_test_YOUR_KEY")

# Use Llama 3.1 405B
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="llama-3-1-405b",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

# Use Command A
response_b = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="command-a",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Llama 3.1 405B or Command A?

Llama 3.1 405B (Open Source, 405B) offers Largest open model. Command A (Enterprise, 111B (37B active)) offers Strong RAG. Choose Llama 3.1 405B for Premium tasks or Command A for Enterprise RAG.

How much does Llama 3.1 405B cost vs Command A?

Llama 3.1 405B: $0.08/1M input, $0.14/1M output. Command A: $0.025/1M input, $0.10/1M output. Both available on XALEN with batch processing at 50% discount.

Can I use both models on XALEN?

Yes. XALEN provides 200+ models through a single OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between Llama 3.1 405B and Command A by changing the model parameter. No code changes needed.

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Last updated: 2026-05-21. Pricing and specifications may change. Check pricing page for latest rates.