Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 vs Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 (2025) and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview (2026) are general-purpose language models from Google DeepMind. Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 ships a 1m-token context window, while Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview ships a 1m-token context window. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is safer overall; choose Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 when vision-heavy evaluation matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps and long-context analysis | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis |
| Decision fit | RAG, Long context, and Vision | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1m | 1m |
| Cheapest output | $10/1M tokens | $12/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 1 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $10/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 for RAG, Long context, and Vision.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview uniquely exposes Function calling, Tool use, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 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.
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06
$3,500
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview
$4,600
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
Estimated monthly gap: $1,100. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is $2/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview adds Function calling, Tool use, and Code execution in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 is $2/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Function calling, Tool use, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-05-06 | 2026-02-19 |
| Context window | 1m | 1m |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Openness | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use with conditions |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.25/1M tokens |
|
| Output price | $10/1M tokens |
|
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on function calling: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, tool use: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, and code execution: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview. 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.
For cost, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 lists $1.25/1M input and $10/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview lists tiered pricing: 0-200,001t is $2/1M input and $12/1M output; 200,001t+ is $4/1M input and $18/1M output. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 lower by about $1.13 per million blended tokens. For tiered rows, this cheapest-track view can understate interactive or fast-lane spend, so compare the tier you will actually use. Availability is 1 providers versus 5, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 when vision-heavy evaluation and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when coding workflow support and broader provider choice 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, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 or Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview?
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 supports 1m tokens, while Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview supports 1m tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 or Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview?
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 lists $1.25/1M input and $10/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview lists tiered pricing: 0-200,001t is $2/1M input and $12/1M output; 200,001t+ is $4/1M input and $18/1M output. Compare the tier you will actually use; cheap async pricing can overstate savings for interactive workflows. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 or Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview open source?
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 is listed under Proprietary. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is listed under Proprietary. 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, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 or Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview?
Both Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 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, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 or Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview?
Both Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview?
Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 is available on OpenRouter. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is available on Google AI Studio, GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, Replicate API, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-04. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.