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Cerebras vs Meta
Meta's Muse API bundles a 1M-context agentic model with cheap image and speech. Cerebras sells extreme speed on a narrow open catalog.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Cerebras vs Meta: key differences
Meta's Model API is a new closed platform, generally available since September 2026. Muse Spark 1.3 offers 1M context at $1.25 in and $4.25 out, with OpenAI, Anthropic and stateful agentic formats, and the same key reaches Muse Image at $0.01 per image and transcription at $0.18 per audio hour. Cerebras is a chip company serving open weights fast: GPT-OSS 120B near 3,000 tokens per second at $0.35 in and $0.75 out, plus Qwen 3.8 27B on the shared API. Meta covers more of an app. Cerebras covers one step of it much faster.
Meta's Contributor tier cuts prices to $0.10 in and $0.20 out, but it trains on your data and drops rate limits to 150 requests per minute, which rules it out for most business traffic. Cerebras trades on Nasdaq and serves OpenAI under a deal worth over $10B, while Meta's API is new. Choose Meta for cost-sensitive coding agents and multimodal assistants that need image or speech on the same bill. Choose Cerebras when output speed is the product.
What Cerebras and Meta do
Cerebras
Cerebras builds a single chip the size of a silicon wafer, and its inference cloud is the fastest public host on the models it serves. Its developer table lists GPT-OSS 120B near 3,000 tokens per second, about six times Groq on the same weights, at $0.35 in and $0.75 out per million. The public shared catalog is thin, just GPT-OSS 120B and Qwen 3.8 27B since Gemma 4 31B moved to dedicated-only in September 2026. More model families live on dedicated endpoints and through partners like OpenRouter, Hugging Face, Vercel and AWS Marketplace.
Example models: GPT-OSS 120B, Qwen 3.8 27B
Full Cerebras 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 Cerebras or Meta?
Cerebras
Choose Cerebras for
- Real-time generation where speed is the product
- Fast long outputs on GPT-OSS 120B
- Buying through AWS Marketplace or OpenRouter
Meta
Choose Meta for
- Agentic coding with a 1M-context model at mid-tier prices
- Image generation and transcription on one key
- Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable
Cerebras vs Meta at a glance
| Attribute | Cerebras | Meta |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Closed API; open Muse Spark Open and Glimmer |
| Flagship models | GPT-OSS 120B, Qwen 3.8 27B | Muse Wonder, Muse Spark 1.3, Muse Spark Open |
| Speed | ~3,000 tok/s on GPT-OSS 120B | ~145–233 tok/s on Muse Spark 1.3 |
| Price | $0.35 in, $0.75 out (GPT-OSS 120B) | $1.25–$4 in, $4.25–$20 out; Contributor tier cheaper |
| Customization | Unknown | Open Muse weights to fine-tune |
| Deployment | Shared API, dedicated, partners | Meta Model API, Oracle Cloud |
| Long context | 131K on GPT-OSS 120B, 128K on Qwen 3.8 27B | 1M |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cerebras and Meta?
Meta's Muse API bundles a 1M-context agentic model with cheap image and speech. Cerebras sells extreme speed on a narrow open catalog.
When should I choose Cerebras over Meta?
Real-time generation where speed is the product; Fast long outputs on GPT-OSS 120B; Buying through AWS Marketplace or OpenRouter.
When should I choose Meta over Cerebras?
Agentic coding with a 1M-context model at mid-tier prices; Image generation and transcription on one key; Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable.
Is Cerebras or Meta cheaper?
Cerebras: $0.35 in, $0.75 out (GPT-OSS 120B). 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, Cerebras or Meta?
Cerebras: 131K on GPT-OSS 120B, 128K on Qwen 3.8 27B. Meta: 1M.
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If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious. Our inference stack treats a long-horizon trace as the primary workload, so speed, cost, and accuracy hold up deep into the trace.