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Baseten vs Meta
Meta sells its own Muse models through a closed API. Baseten hosts other labs' open weights. Both speak OpenAI and Anthropic formats.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Baseten vs Meta: key differences
Meta's Model API serves Muse Spark 1.3, a multimodal reasoning model with a 1M context, at $1.25 in and $4.25 out. The endpoint accepts OpenAI Chat Completions, Anthropic Messages and a stateful agentic format. Baseten also answers in both the OpenAI and Anthropic shapes, so switching SDKs is a base URL change in either direction. What differs is the models. Meta's are closed and only available from Meta, except for the open-weight Muse Glimmer. Baseten's dozen or so are open weights from other labs, including DeepSeek V4, Kimi K3 and GLM 5.3, and it will serve any model you package with Truss.
Meta has two pricing oddities worth weighing. The Contributor tier drops prices to $0.10 in and $0.20 out if Meta can train on your traffic, with rate limits cut to 150 requests per minute. It also bundles Muse Image at $0.01 per image and transcription at $0.18 per hour. Baseten has no media generation, but it has operated since 2019 while Meta's API is new, and it adds HIPAA, data residency and a 99.99% SLA. A self-hosted Muse Glimmer could itself run on Baseten dedicated GPUs.
What Baseten and Meta do
Baseten
Baseten runs two products. Model APIs serve a curated set of 15+ open models, including GLM 5.3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813, Kimi K3 and gpt-oss 120B, over endpoints that speak both the OpenAI Chat Completions shape and the Anthropic Messages shape. That dual compatibility means an existing OpenAI or Claude SDK, or a coding agent, points at Baseten with a base URL change. Dedicated deployments take any model you package with the open-source Truss CLI and bill per GPU minute, with an H100 at about $6.50 an hour.
Example models: GLM 5.3, gpt-oss 120B
Full Baseten profileMeta
Meta has moved from open Llama releases toward its own closed API. Meta Superintelligence Labs builds the Muse family, and in July 2026 Meta launched the Meta Model API with Muse Spark 1.1, a multimodal reasoning model aimed at agentic coding, tool use and computer use. At Meta Connect in September, Meta made the API generally available globally. Muse Spark 1.3 has a 1M token context and costs $1.25 in and $4.25 out per million tokens, with cached input at $0.15. Muse Wonder, released October 12, 2026, sits above it for longer, harder agent work at $4 in and $20 out, also with 1M context. The endpoint speaks OpenAI Chat Completions, Anthropic Messages and a stateful agentic format.
Example models: Muse Wonder, Muse Spark 1.3, Muse Spark Open
Full Meta profileShould you choose Baseten or Meta?
Baseten
Choose Baseten for
- Production traffic that needs an SLA and HIPAA
- Choosing among several labs' open models
- Serving Muse Glimmer or other weights on dedicated GPUs
Meta
Choose Meta for
- Muse Spark for coding, tool use and computer use
- Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable
- Images and transcription on the same API key
Baseten vs Meta at a glance
| Attribute | Baseten | Meta |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights, 15+ curated | Closed API; open Muse Spark Open and Glimmer |
| Flagship models | GLM 5.3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Kimi K3, gpt-oss 120B | Muse Wonder, Muse Spark 1.3, Muse Spark Open |
| Speed | 0.49s TTFT, lowest measured | ~145–233 tok/s on Muse Spark 1.3 |
| Price | H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated | $1.25–$4 in, $4.25–$20 out; Contributor tier cheaper |
| Customization | Deploy any model with Truss | Open Muse weights to fine-tune |
| Deployment | Model APIs, dedicated, self-host | Meta Model API, Oracle Cloud |
| Long context | Varies by model | 1M |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Baseten and Meta?
Meta sells its own Muse models through a closed API. Baseten hosts other labs' open weights. Both speak OpenAI and Anthropic formats.
When should I choose Baseten over Meta?
Production traffic that needs an SLA and HIPAA; Choosing among several labs' open models; Serving Muse Glimmer or other weights on dedicated GPUs.
When should I choose Meta over Baseten?
Muse Spark for coding, tool use and computer use; Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable; Images and transcription on the same API key.
Is Baseten or Meta cheaper?
Baseten: H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated. Meta: $1.25–$4 in, $4.25–$20 out; Contributor tier cheaper. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.
Which has more context, Baseten or Meta?
Baseten: Varies by model. Meta: 1M.
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