Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs Nemotron 3 Ultra
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite (2026) and Nemotron 3 Ultra (2026) are frontier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and NVIDIA AI. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ships a 1.05m-token context window, while Nemotron 3 Ultra ships a 1m-token context window. On pricing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input tokens versus $0.50/1M for the alternative. 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 Flash-Lite is ~100% cheaper at $0.25/1M; pay for Nemotron 3 Ultra only for reasoning depth.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis | reasoning-heavy apps and long-context analysis |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Long context |
| Context window | 1.05m | 1m |
| Cheapest output | $1.50/1M tokens | $2.20/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- 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 Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Nemotron 3 Ultra for Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
$575
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
Nemotron 3 Ultra
$950
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $375. 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.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra is $0.70/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling before moving production traffic.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra adds Reasoning in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is $0.70/1M 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 Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-07 | 2026-06-04 |
| Context window | 1.05m | 1m |
| Parameters | — | 550B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | Proprietary | NVIDIA Open Model |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open weights |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.25/1M tokens | $0.50/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.50/1M tokens | $2.20/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, multimodal input: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, reasoning mode: Nemotron 3 Ultra, function calling: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, tool use: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, structured outputs: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, and code execution: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite. Both models share the core language-model surface, 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 Nemotron 3 Ultra lists $0.50/1M input and $2.20/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite lower by about $0.39 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, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Nemotron 3 Ultra when reasoning depth 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 3.1 Flash-Lite or Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite supports 1.05m tokens, while Nemotron 3 Ultra 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 Nemotron 3 Ultra?
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. Nemotron 3 Ultra costs $0.50/1M input and $2.20/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Nemotron 3 Ultra open source?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is listed under Proprietary. Nemotron 3 Ultra is listed under NVIDIA Open Model. 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 Nemotron 3 Ultra?
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 Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite 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 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available on Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Nemotron 3 Ultra is available on OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.