Frequently asked questions
Which LLM is best for data analysis in 2026?
Right now Claude Fable 5, Claude Opus 4.8 and Claude Opus 5.5 lead (graded on LiveCodeBench, AIME 2024–25 and MMLU-Pro plus an overall task grade). Best open-weight: Kimi K3. Best budget pick graded A or better: Qwen3.7 Flash ($0.03/$0.13 per 1M tokens).
Should the LLM run code or only write it?
Let it run code. A model that executes Python in a sandbox computes exact results, while a model working from memory makes arithmetic slips. Use a tool with a code interpreter for anything numerical.
Which LLM is best for SQL?
Models that rank high for coding also write the best SQL. Give the model the table definitions and a few sample rows; most wrong queries come from a missing schema, not from a weak model.
What is the best free LLM for data analysis?
The top open-weight models for data analysis right now are Kimi K3, DeepSeek V4-Pro and DeepSeek V4-Flash. The cheapest model graded A or better is Qwen3.7 Flash ($0.03 in / $0.13 out per 1M tokens).
Is it safe to paste company data into an LLM?
Check your provider's data-retention terms first. If the data must not leave your network, run an open-weight model locally — the Can I Run LLM calculator shows what your hardware can hold.