Overview
Inkling Small is an open-weight multimodal mixture-of-experts model from Thinking Machines Lab, with 12B active parameters out of 276B total. It is positioned as the smaller, more efficient member of...
Our take
For developers building applications that require complex, multi-step problem-solving, Inkling Small offers a distinct approach. Its built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode, coupled with a substantial 524,288-token context window, positions it for tasks such as detailed content creation or research analysis where intermediate thought processes are beneficial. Unlike alternatives like Google's Gemini 3.6 Flash or Meta's Muse Spark 1.1, which are also AI video tools, Inkling Small differentiates itself through its explicit focus on reasoning and tool/function calling capabilities, suggesting a leaning towards agent-style workflows rather than solely video-centric applications. The ability to accept images as input further expands its utility in multimodal scenarios. Ideal for developers and businesses that need a model capable of processing and interpreting diverse inputs to execute complex, programmatic tasks, particularly those involving sequential logic. However, without a free tier and billed per token, it is less suited for casual exploration or projects with highly constrained budgets.
How Thinking Machines: Inkling Small stacks up
Among the 15 video & audio tools in our directory, it ranks #4 of 15 on quality (8.5/10), 6% above the 15-tool average of 8.0.
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small in depth
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small, built by Thinkingmachines, sits in the video & audio and chatbots & llms space and is a paid tool starting at $0.45/1M tokens. Our editors rate it 8.5 out of 10 based on capability, ecosystem and value. It handles a context window of 524,288 tokens.
On the feature side, Thinking Machines: Inkling Small brings 524,288-token context window, vision (image input), reasoning / chain-of-thought and tool / function calling. These are the capabilities that most shape day-to-day use and separate it from thinner alternatives.
Its biggest strength is built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode for harder problems, 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.
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small is most often chosen for content creation, research and writing. If that matches your goals, it's a strong candidate to shortlist.
Key features
- ✓524,288-token context window
- ✓Vision (image input)
- ✓Reasoning / chain-of-thought
- ✓Tool / function calling
Pricing
Pros
- +Built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode for harder problems
- +Accepts images as input (vision-capable)
- +Supports tool / function calling for agent-style workflows
Cons
- −No free tier — usage is billed per token
Who should use Thinking Machines: Inkling Small
- →Anyone looking for a video & audio and chatbots & llms tool from Thinkingmachines.
- →Teams and individuals focused on content creation, research and writing.
- →People who value built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode for harder problems.
- →Workflows that need a 524,288 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.
Best for
10 Best Thinking Machines: Inkling Small Alternatives in 2026
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small is a strong video & audio 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 Thinking Machines: Inkling Small, ranked and compared.
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ElevenLabs
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DeepSeek
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Perplexity AI
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Runway
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Alibaba Cloud
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Suno
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Mistral AI
Mistral AI is a European lab offering both open-weight and commercial models that punch well above their size.
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small vs top alternatives
A side-by-side look at how Thinking Machines: Inkling Small stacks up against its closest rivals.
| Feature | Thinking Machines: Inkling SmallThinkingmachines | ClaudeAnthropic | ChatGPTOpenAI | GeminiGoogle DeepMind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 8.5 / 10 | 9.6 / 10 | 9.5 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Starting price | $0.45/1M 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 | $0.45 / 1M tokens | $8 / 1M tokens | $1 / 1M tokens | $1.5 / 1M tokens |
| API output price | $1.2 / 1M tokens | $40 / 1M tokens | $5 / 1M tokens | $7.5 / 1M tokens |
| Speed | — | Fast | Fast | Fast |
| Context window | 524,288 tokens | 200K tokens | 128K tokens | 1M-2M tokens |
| Categories | Video & Audio, Chatbots & LLMs | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing |
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Frequently asked questions
Q. Is Thinking Machines: Inkling Small free?
No — Thinking Machines: Inkling Small is a paid tool, starting at $0.45/1M tokens.
Q. How much does Thinking Machines: Inkling Small cost?
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small starts at $0.45/1M tokens. API usage is around $0.45 per 1M input tokens and $1.2 per 1M output tokens.
Q. What is Thinking Machines: Inkling Small best for?
Thinking Machines: Inkling Small is best suited to content creation, research and writing, within the video & audio and chatbots & llms category.
Q. What are the best Thinking Machines: Inkling Small alternatives?
Popular alternatives to Thinking Machines: Inkling Small include Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and ElevenLabs. Each trades off price, quality and ecosystem differently.
Q. Is there a free alternative to Thinking Machines: Inkling Small?
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 Thinking Machines: Inkling Small?
Common reasons include pricing, specific feature gaps (No free tier — usage is billed per token), 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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