Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs Llama 4 Scout 17B
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite (2026) and Llama 4 Scout 17B (2025) are general-purpose language models from Google DeepMind and AI at Meta. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ships a 1M-token context window, while Llama 4 Scout 17B ships a 10M-token context window. On pricing, Llama 4 Scout 17B costs $0.17/1M input tokens versus $0.25/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Llama 4 Scout 17B is ~47% cheaper at $0.17/1M; pay for Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Llama 4 Scout 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Long context, and Vision |
| Context window | 1M | 10M |
| Cheapest output | $1.5/1M tokens | $0.66/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite uniquely exposes Vision, Function calling, and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Llama 4 Scout 17B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Llama 4 Scout 17B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.66/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Llama 4 Scout 17B for RAG, Long context, and Vision.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
$575
Cheapest tracked route: Google AI Studio
Llama 4 Scout 17B
$301
Cheapest tracked route: AWS Bedrock
Estimated monthly gap: $274. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Llama 4 Scout 17B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Llama 4 Scout 17B is $0.84/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Function calling, and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Llama 4 Scout 17B and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is $0.84/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite adds Vision, Function calling, and Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-07 | 2025-10-01 |
| Context window | 1M | 10M |
| Parameters | — | 17 |
| Architecture | decoder only | - |
| License | Proprietary | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2024-08 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Llama 4 Scout 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.25/1M tokens | $0.17/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.5/1M tokens | $0.66/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Llama 4 Scout 17B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, function calling: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, tool use: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, and code execution: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite. Both models share 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 3.1 Flash-Lite lists $0.25/1M input and $1.5/1M output tokens, while Llama 4 Scout 17B lists $0.17/1M input and $0.66/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Llama 4 Scout 17B lower by about $0.31 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Llama 4 Scout 17B 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, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Llama 4 Scout 17B?
Llama 4 Scout 17B supports 10M tokens, while Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite 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 3.1 Flash-Lite or Llama 4 Scout 17B?
Llama 4 Scout 17B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input and $1.5/1M output tokens. Llama 4 Scout 17B costs $0.17/1M input and $0.66/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Llama 4 Scout 17B open source?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is listed under Proprietary. Llama 4 Scout 17B 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 vision, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Llama 4 Scout 17B?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite 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, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Llama 4 Scout 17B?
Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Llama 4 Scout 17B 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 3.1 Flash-Lite and Llama 4 Scout 17B?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available on Google AI Studio and OpenRouter. Llama 4 Scout 17B is available on AWS Bedrock. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-11. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.