Overview
Beam 1.0 is Reflection's open-weight reasoning model for coding and long-horizon agentic workflows. It uses a sparse mixture-of-experts architecture with 501B total and 23B active parameters per token, and a...
Our take
For developers and researchers tackling complex coding problems or designing long-running AI agents, Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B offers a distinct proposition. Unlike general-purpose chatbots such as Claude or ChatGPT, this model is specifically engineered with a 1,048,576-token context window, allowing for extensive codebases or multi-step agentic workflows to be processed within a single interaction. Its built-in reasoning capabilities, coupled with support for tool/function calling and structured JSON outputs, position it for tasks requiring precise, multi-stage execution rather than conversational fluency. Ideal for those who need to automate intricate processes or analyse large textual datasets without needing image input, its token-based billing and lack of a free tier mean it is best suited for professional users with specific, resource-intensive requirements. This is a model for deep, programmatic interaction, not casual conversation.
How Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B stacks up
Among the 380 chatbots & llms tools in our directory, it ranks #91 of 375 on quality (8.9/10), 10% above the 375-tool average of 8.1, and its $0.25/1M input-token rate is in the mid-price range — 87% cheaper than the 363-model average of $1.94/1M.
Weighing quality against cost, Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B's cost-per-quality-point of $0.03 places it in the top 34% for value among chatbots & llms tools.
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B in depth
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B, built by Reflection, sits in the chatbots & llms space and is a paid tool starting at $0.25/1M tokens. Our editors rate it 8.9 out of 10 based on capability, ecosystem and value. It handles a context window of 1,048,576 tokens.
On the feature side, Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B brings 1,048,576-token context window, reasoning / chain-of-thought, tool / function calling and structured (json) outputs. These are the capabilities that most shape day-to-day use and separate it from thinner alternatives.
Its biggest strength is large 1,048,576-token context window, bigger than most models listed here, while the main trade-off to weigh is that no free tier — usage is billed per token. Keep both in mind when deciding whether it fits your workflow.
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B is most often chosen for research and writing. If that matches your goals, it's a strong candidate to shortlist.
Key features
- ✓1,048,576-token context window
- ✓Reasoning / chain-of-thought
- ✓Tool / function calling
- ✓Structured (JSON) outputs
- ✓Knowledge cutoff 2026-06-30
Pricing
Pros
- +Large 1,048,576-token context window, bigger than most models listed here
- +Built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode for harder problems
- +Supports tool / function calling for agent-style workflows
- +Can return structured JSON output for reliable parsing
Cons
- −No free tier — usage is billed per token
- −Text-only: does not accept image input
Who should use Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B
- →Anyone looking for a chatbots & llms tool from Reflection.
- →Teams and individuals focused on research and writing.
- →People who value large 1,048,576-token context window, bigger than most models listed here.
- →Workflows that need a 1,048,576 tokens context window.
Who should look elsewhere
- →Anyone who needs a free tier — this tool is paid only.
- →Those for whom no free tier — usage is billed per token is a dealbreaker.
- →Users who can't accept that text-only: does not accept image input.
Best for
10 Best Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B Alternatives in 2026
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B is a strong chatbots & llms tool, but it is not the only option. Whether you are after a lower price, different features or a better fit for your workflow, here are the 10 best alternatives to Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B, ranked and compared.
Anthropic
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Moonshot AI
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MiniMax
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DeepSeek
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Meta
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NVIDIA
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Gemini 4 Argon is Google's flagship reasoning model, built for complex software engineering, deep mathematical and…
Meta
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Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B vs top alternatives
A side-by-side look at how Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B stacks up against its closest rivals.
| Feature | Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23BReflection | ClaudeAnthropic | ChatGPTOpenAI | GeminiGoogle DeepMind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 8.9 / 10 | 9.6 / 10 | 9.5 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Starting price | $0.25/1M tokens | $20/mo | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Free tier | No | Yes — Free tier available | Yes — Free tier available | Yes — Free tier available |
| API input price | $0.25 / 1M tokens | $0.1 / 1M tokens | $2 / 1M tokens | $2 / 1M tokens |
| API output price | $1 / 1M tokens | $0.5 / 1M tokens | $10 / 1M tokens | $10 / 1M tokens |
| Speed | — | Fast | Fast | Fast |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 200K tokens | 128K tokens | 1M-2M tokens |
| Categories | Chatbots & LLMs | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing |
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Frequently asked questions
Q. Is Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B free?
No — Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B is a paid tool, starting at $0.25/1M tokens.
Q. How much does Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B cost?
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B starts at $0.25/1M tokens. API usage is around $0.25 per 1M input tokens and $1 per 1M output tokens.
Q. What is Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B best for?
Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B is best suited to research and writing, within the chatbots & llms category.
Q. What are the best Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B alternatives?
Popular alternatives to Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B include Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and MoonshotAI: Kimi K3.1 Pro. Each trades off price, quality and ecosystem differently.
Q. Is there a free alternative to Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B?
Yes. Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini offer a free tier, making them good starting points if you want to avoid an upfront subscription.
Q. Why switch from Reflection: Beam 1.0 501B A23B?
Common reasons include pricing, specific feature gaps (No free tier — usage is billed per token; Text-only: does not accept image input), data-privacy requirements, or simply wanting a tool that fits your stack better.
How we rate AI tools
Our quality score weighs capability on real tasks, breadth of features and integrations, pricing and value, and how actively the tool is maintained. Scores are editorial guidance, not benchmarks — always trial a tool on your own workflow before committing. Pricing and features change frequently, so verify current details on the official site.
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