Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs GPT-5.2 Codex

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite (2026) and GPT-5.2 Codex (2025) compare a standalone API model against a coding-specialized model. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ships a 1.05m-token context window, while GPT-5.2 Codex ships a not-yet-sourced context window. On pricing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input tokens versus $1.75/1M for the alternative. This page treats the result as workflow and deployment fit, not a universal model winner.

Treat this as a product-type comparison: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is standalone API model, while GPT-5.2 Codex is coding-specialized model. Choose based on workflow fit before reading any benchmark or price row as decisive.

Decision scorecard

Local evidence first

Signal	Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite	GPT-5.2 Codex	How to read it
Product type	Standalone API model	Coding-specialized model	Read downstream rows through the product-type lens before comparing benchmarks, prices, or provider availability.
Best for	multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis	custom coding agents, code generation, and tool loops	Use-case synthesis from product type, capability flags, context, and provider data.
Decision fit	Coding, RAG, and Agents	Coding, Agents, and Vision	Primary workload tags from local decision data.
Context window	1.05m	—	Higher is better when prompts, retrieval chunks, or transcripts are large.
Cheapest output	$1.50/1M tokens	$14/1M tokens	Cheapest tracked provider route; verify your exact region and tier.
Provider routes	3 tracked	1 tracked	Broader coverage can reduce vendor lock-in and fallback risk.
Shared benchmarks	0 rows	0 rows	No shared benchmark rows are sourced for this pair yet.

Decision tradeoffs

Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite when...

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $1.50/1M tokens.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite for Coding, RAG, and Agents.

Choose GPT-5.2 Codex when...

GPT-5.2 Codex uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
Local decision data tags GPT-5.2 Codex for Coding, Agents, and Vision.

Monthly cost at traffic

Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.

Lower estimate Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite

Requests / monthInput tokens / requestOutput tokens / request

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite

$575

Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio

GPT-5.2 Codex

$4,900

Cheapest tracked route/tier: Vercel AI Gateway

Estimated monthly gap: $4,325. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.

Switch friction

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite -> GPT-5.2 Codex

Provider overlap exists on Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
GPT-5.2 Codex is $12.50/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
GPT-5.2 Codex adds Reasoning in local capability data.

GPT-5.2 Codex -> Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite

Provider overlap exists on Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is $12.50/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite adds Structured outputs in local capability data.

Specs

Specification	Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite Google DeepMind	GPT-5.2 Codex OpenAI
Released	2026-05-07	2025-12-18
Context window	1.05m	—
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	2025-08

Pricing and availability

Pricing attribute	Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite	GPT-5.2 Codex
Input price	$0.25/1M tokens	$1.75/1M tokens
Output price	$1.50/1M tokens	$14/1M tokens
Providers	Google AI Studio OpenRouter Vercel AI Gateway	Vercel AI Gateway

Capabilities

Capability	Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite	GPT-5.2 Codex
Vision	Yes	Yes
Multimodal	Yes	Yes
Reasoning	No	Yes
Function calling	Yes	Yes
Tool use	Yes	Yes
Structured outputs	Yes	No
Code execution	Yes	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 reasoning mode: GPT-5.2 Codex and structured outputs: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite. Both models share vision, multimodal input, function calling, and tool use, 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 3.1 Flash-Lite lists $0.25/1M input and $1.50/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while GPT-5.2 Codex lists $1.75/1M input and $14/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite lower by about $4.80 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.

Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite when coding workflow support, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose GPT-5.2 Codex when coding workflow support 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. It also helps separate model capability from provider packaging, which can change cost and latency.

FAQ

Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or GPT-5.2 Codex?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input and $1.50/1M output tokens. GPT-5.2 Codex costs $1.75/1M input and $14/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.

Is Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or GPT-5.2 Codex open source?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is listed under Proprietary. GPT-5.2 Codex 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 3.1 Flash-Lite or GPT-5.2 Codex?

Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and GPT-5.2 Codex expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.

Which is better for multimodal input, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or GPT-5.2 Codex?

Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and GPT-5.2 Codex 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, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or GPT-5.2 Codex?

GPT-5.2 Codex 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 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and GPT-5.2 Codex?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available on Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. GPT-5.2 Codex is available on Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.

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Model pages

Labs and families

Related comparisons

Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.

Both models

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite GPT-5.2 Codex