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 MMLU PRO, Gemma 4 26B A4B IT leads by 6.7 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 26B A4B IT is ~67% cheaper at $0.06/1M; pay for DeepSeek V3 only for provider fit.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | tool-calling agents and provider-routed production | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, Agents, and Classification | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 64k | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $0.30/1M tokens | $0.33/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 13 tracked | 7 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 2 shared | MMLU PRO leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V3 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.30/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek V3 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek V3 uniquely exposes Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V3 for Coding, Agents, and Classification.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 6.7 points.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 26B A4B 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
$155
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Bitdeer AI
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT
$131
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $24.50. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, and Together AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is $0.03/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Tool use before moving production traffic.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter, Together AI, and GCP Vertex AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V3 is $0.03/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek V3 adds Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-12-26 | 2026-03-31 |
| Context window | 64k | 256k |
| Parameters | 671B | 26B |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | - |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-04 | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.10/1M tokens | $0.06/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.30/1M tokens | $0.33/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek V3 | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 75.9 | 82.6 |
| LiveCodeBench | 49.6 | 77.1 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has DeepSeek V3 at 75.9 and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT at 82.6, with Gemma 4 26B A4B IT ahead by 6.7 points; LiveCodeBench has DeepSeek V3 at 49.6 and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT at 77.1, with Gemma 4 26B A4B IT ahead by 27.5 points. The largest visible gap is 27.5 points on LiveCodeBench, 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 vision: Gemma 4 26B A4B IT, 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 $0.10/1M input and $0.30/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, 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 13 providers versus 7, 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.
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 $0.10/1M input and $0.30/1M 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 MIT. Gemma 4 26B A4B 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 or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
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.
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 Cloudflare Workers AI, 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: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.