DeepSeek V3 vs Gemma 4 26B A4B IT
DeepSeek V3 (2024) and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT (2026) are compact production models from DeepSeek and Google DeepMind. DeepSeek V3 ships a 64k-token context window, while Gemma 4 26B A4B IT ships a 256k-token context window. On pricing, Gemma 4 26B A4B IT costs $0.06/1M input tokens versus $0.1/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is ~67% cheaper at $0.06/1M; pay for DeepSeek V3 only for provider fit.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-12-26 | 2026-03-31 |
| Context window | 64k | 256k |
| Parameters | 671B | 26B |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | - |
| License | Open Source | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-04 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.1/1M tokens | $0.06/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.33/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on multimodal input: Gemma 4 26B A4B IT and tool use: DeepSeek V3. Both models share function calling 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.
For cost, DeepSeek V3 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while Gemma 4 26B A4B IT lists $0.06/1M input and $0.33/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemma 4 26B A4B IT lower by about $0.02 per million blended tokens. Availability is 12 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek V3 when provider fit and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Gemma 4 26B A4B IT when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek V3 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT supports 256k tokens, while DeepSeek V3 supports 64k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V3 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek V3 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT costs $0.06/1M input and $0.33/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek V3 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT open source?
DeepSeek V3 is listed under Open Source. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is listed under Open Source. 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 multimodal input, DeepSeek V3 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for function calling, DeepSeek V3 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Both DeepSeek V3 and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT expose function calling. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run DeepSeek V3 and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
DeepSeek V3 is available on DeepInfra, Fireworks AI, DeepSeek Platform, Microsoft Foundry, and OpenRouter. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is available on Google AI Studio, GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, and Together AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-11. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.