DeepSeek V3.1 vs Gemma 4 12B IT
DeepSeek V3.1 (2025) and Gemma 4 12B IT (2026) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Google DeepMind. DeepSeek V3.1 ships a 64k-token context window, while Gemma 4 12B IT ships a 256k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, DeepSeek V3.1 leads by 6.1 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Gemma 4 12B IT fits 4x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and DeepSeek V3.1 for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V3.1 | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, Agents, and Vision | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 64k | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $1/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 8 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 1 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V3.1 holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 6.1 points.
- DeepSeek V3.1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek V3.1 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V3.1 for Coding, Agents, and Vision.
- Gemma 4 12B IT has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemma 4 12B IT uniquely exposes Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 12B IT for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek V3.1
$466
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Novita AI
Gemma 4 12B IT
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for DeepSeek V3.1 and Gemma 4 12B IT; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Gemma 4 12B IT adds Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 4 12B IT and DeepSeek V3.1; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek V3.1 adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-08-21 | 2026-06-03 |
| Context window | 64k | 256k |
| Parameters | 671B total, 37B active (MoE) | 12B |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | Decoder Only |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3.1 | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.27/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $1/1M tokens | - |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V3.1 | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek V3.1 | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 83.3 | 77.2 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has DeepSeek V3.1 at 83.3 and Gemma 4 12B IT at 77.2, with DeepSeek V3.1 ahead by 6.1 points. The largest visible gap is 6.1 points on MMLU PRO, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: Gemma 4 12B IT, function calling: Gemma 4 12B IT, tool use: Gemma 4 12B IT, and code execution: DeepSeek V3.1. Both models share vision, multimodal input, and structured outputs, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
Pricing coverage is uneven: DeepSeek V3.1 has $0.27/1M input tokens and Gemma 4 12B IT has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 8 tracked routes versus 2. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose DeepSeek V3.1 when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Gemma 4 12B IT when reasoning depth and larger context windows are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek V3.1 or Gemma 4 12B IT?
Gemma 4 12B IT supports 256k tokens, while DeepSeek V3.1 supports 64k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is DeepSeek V3.1 or Gemma 4 12B IT open source?
DeepSeek V3.1 is listed under MIT. Gemma 4 12B IT is listed under Apache 2.0. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for vision, DeepSeek V3.1 or Gemma 4 12B IT?
Both DeepSeek V3.1 and Gemma 4 12B IT expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek V3.1 or Gemma 4 12B IT?
Both DeepSeek V3.1 and Gemma 4 12B IT expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for reasoning mode, DeepSeek V3.1 or Gemma 4 12B IT?
Gemma 4 12B IT has the clearer documented reasoning mode signal in this comparison. If reasoning mode is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek V3.1 and Gemma 4 12B IT?
DeepSeek V3.1 is available on Microsoft Foundry, Fireworks AI, NVIDIA NIM, Together AI, and AWS Bedrock. Gemma 4 12B IT is available on Hugging Face Inference Endpoints and Kaggle Models. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.