# Meta vs Nebius

> A closed model API in preview against a European AI cloud. Meta offers Muse Spark and a data-sharing discount; Nebius offers 60+ open models, raw GPUs and EU placement.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/meta-vs-nebius · By The Subconscious Team · Updated September 30, 2026

## How they compare

Nebius and Meta already have a relationship on the supply side: Meta signed a capacity agreement with Nebius worth up to about $27B in March 2026. As developer products, though, they are different. Nebius's Token Factory serves 60+ open models such as Llama, Qwen, DeepSeek, GLM, Kimi and GPT-OSS from $0.06 per million input tokens, with dedicated endpoints at a 99.9% SLA and EU or US placement, plus raw GPUs on the same account. Meta's Model API serves its own closed Muse Spark 1.3 at $1.25 in and $4.25 out with 1M context.

Data handling is the sharpest difference. Meta's Contributor tier drops prices about 95% if Meta can train on your prompts and completions, which rules it out for most business traffic. Nebius sells in-region placement and sovereignty to regulated European buyers, and lets teams serve an uploaded fine-tune at base token prices. Nebius has no free trial and a $25 minimum first payment. Meta's API is still in preview. European enterprises and teams that want open models on an SLA go to Nebius. Teams trying a new agentic model cheaply go to Meta.

## What each one does

### Meta

Meta has moved from open Llama releases toward its own closed API. Meta Superintelligence Labs builds the Muse family, and in July 2026 Meta opened a public preview of the Meta Model API with Muse Spark 1.1, a multimodal reasoning model aimed at agentic coding, tool use and computer use. The current lineup runs through Muse Spark 1.3 with a 1M token context. Standard pricing is $1.25 in and $4.25 out per million tokens, with cached input at $0.15, and the endpoint speaks OpenAI Chat Completions, Anthropic Messages and a stateful agentic format.

### Nebius

Nebius is an Amsterdam-headquartered AI cloud and the strongest European alternative to the US hyperscalers. It sells raw NVIDIA GPU compute, from H100s at $2.15 an hour preemptible up to GB300 NVL72 racks, and it has begun adding Vera Rubin. Hyperscale buyers back it: a Microsoft capacity deal worth about $17.4B in September 2025, then a Meta agreement worth up to about $27B in March 2026.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose Meta for

- Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable
- A single multimodal model with image and speech add-ons
- Teams that want a closed model over an open catalog

### Choose Nebius for

- EU data residency for regulated buyers
- Serving fine-tuned open checkpoints with an SLA
- Growing from tokens into raw GPU training

## At a glance

| Attribute | Meta | Nebius |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Closed API; open Muse Glimmer | Open weights, 60+ models |
| Flagship models | Muse Spark 1.3, Muse Glimmer | DeepSeek, Qwen, GLM, Kimi, GPT-OSS |
| Speed | ~145–233 tok/s on Muse Spark 1.3 | Among top hosts on throughput |
| Price | $1.25 in, $4.25 out; Contributor tier cheaper | From $0.06 per 1M input |
| Customization | Open Muse Glimmer weights to fine-tune | Serve uploaded fine-tunes |
| Deployment | Meta Model API (preview) | Token Factory, dedicated, raw GPUs |
| Long context | 1M | Varies by model |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between Meta and Nebius?

A closed model API in preview against a European AI cloud. Meta offers Muse Spark and a data-sharing discount; Nebius offers 60+ open models, raw GPUs and EU placement.

### When should I choose Meta over Nebius?

Near-free prototyping when data sharing is acceptable; A single multimodal model with image and speech add-ons; Teams that want a closed model over an open catalog.

### When should I choose Nebius over Meta?

EU data residency for regulated buyers; Serving fine-tuned open checkpoints with an SLA; Growing from tokens into raw GPU training.

### Is Meta or Nebius cheaper?

Meta: $1.25 in, $4.25 out; Contributor tier cheaper. Nebius: From $0.06 per 1M input. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, Meta or Nebius?

Meta: 1M. Nebius: Varies by model.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs Meta](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-meta.md), [Subconscious vs Nebius](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-nebius.md).

Full profiles: [Meta](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/meta.md), [Nebius](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/nebius.md).