---
title: "meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct - Model Details & Comparison"
description: "meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct from Friendliai: capabilities, context limits, pricing, and side-by-side comparisons with alternative models."
url: "https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/friendliai/meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct"
markdown: "https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/friendliai/meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct.md"
---

# meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct - Model Details & Comparison

> meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct from Friendliai: capabilities, context limits, pricing, and side-by-side comparisons with alternative models.

## Important Links

- [View MCP Gateway](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/resources/mcp-gateway.md)
- [Features](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/#features)
- [Enterprise](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/enterprise)
- [Pricing](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/pricing.md)
- [Docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Book a Demo](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/book-a-demo)

## About meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct

meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct is a chat model from FriendliAI, one of 2 chat models they offer. It is priced at $0.10 per 1M input tokens and $0.10 per 1M output tokens, ranking 291 out of 2669 chat models by cost and cheaper than 85% of models in this category. meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct supports function calling, structured output. It accepts up to 8K input tokens.

## Specifications

- **Friendliai Provider.**
- **Chat Mode.**
- **8,192 Max Input Tokens.**
- **8,192 Max Output Tokens.**
- **8,192 Max Tokens.**
- **$0.10 / 1M tokens Input Price.**
- **$0.10 / 1M tokens Output Price.**

## Capabilities

meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct supports: Function Calling, Parallel Function Calling, System Messages, Response Schema, Tool Choice.

## meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct Pricing Overview

At $0.10 per 1M input tokens and $0.10 per 1M output tokens, meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct ranks 291 out of 2669 chat models by input cost. It is more affordable compared to the median of $0.50 for chat models, and is cheaper than 85% of models in this category.

meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct is one of 2 FriendliAI chat models, with support for function calling, structured output.

## Models to Compare

Alternatives to meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct with comparable capabilities.

| Model | Provider | Input $/1M | Output $/1M |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| gpt-4.1-nano | Azure | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14 | Azure | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| gemini-2.0-flash | Vertex AI | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| gemini-2.5-flash-lite | Vertex AI | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| gemini-2.5-flash-lite-preview-09-2025 | Vertex AI | $0.10 | $0.40 |

- [Compare gpt-4.1-nano](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-4.1-nano.md)
- [Compare gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14.md)
- [Compare gemini-2.0-flash](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/vertex_ai/gemini-2.0-flash.md)
- [Compare gemini-2.5-flash-lite](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/vertex_ai/gemini-2.5-flash-lite.md)
- [Compare gemini-2.5-flash-lite-preview-09-2025](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/vertex_ai/gemini-2.5-flash-lite-preview-09-2025.md)

## Related Resources

- [Calculate meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct costs](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/friendliai/model/meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct.md)
- [All FriendliAI pricing](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/friendliai.md)

## FAQ

### Is meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct cheaper than gpt-4.1-nano?

No. meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct costs $0.10 per 1M input tokens while gpt-4.1-nano costs $0.10 per 1M input tokens, making gpt-4.1-nano 0% more affordable for input. However, meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct may offer different capabilities or performance characteristics that justify the price difference.

### How does meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct pricing compare to the average chat model?

meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct input pricing is $0.10 per 1M tokens, which is 80% below the median of $0.50 for chat models. It ranks 291 out of 2669 chat models by input cost, making it cheaper than 85% of models in this category. For output, it costs $0.10 per 1M tokens compared to the median of $1.44.

### What makes meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct different from other FriendliAI models?

Among FriendliAI's 2 chat models, meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct ranks 1 by input cost.

### What are the best alternatives to meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct?

The most comparable chat models to meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct are: gpt-4.1-nano from Azure ($0.10/1M input tokens); gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14 from Azure ($0.10/1M input tokens); gemini-2.0-flash from Vertex AI ($0.10/1M input tokens); gemini-2.5-flash-lite from Vertex AI ($0.10/1M input tokens). These alternatives were selected based on similar capabilities, pricing, and provider diversity. You can compare any of these models in detail using the Bifrost Model Library.

### How do I calculate meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct costs?

meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct is priced based on input and output tokens. Use the interactive calculator at the top of this page to estimate costs for your specific workload. Enter your expected input and output tokens volume and the calculator will show the total cost breakdown. For reference, processing 1M input tokens costs $0.10 and generating 1M output tokens costs $0.10.

## Related Resources

- [Friendliai models](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/provider/friendliai.md)
- [Model library](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library.md)
- [LLM cost calculator](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator.md)
- [Docs: Bifrost docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub: maximhq/bifrost](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Pricing: Bifrost pricing](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/pricing.md)
- [Enterprise: Bifrost enterprise](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/enterprise)
- [Book a Demo: Bifrost demo](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/book-a-demo)
- [Resources: Bifrost resources](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/resources.md)

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/friendliai/meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct](https://maxim-root-proxy-preview.getmaxim.workers.dev/bifrost/model-library/compare/friendliai/meta-llama-3.1-8b-instruct) for AI/LLM consumption.*