LLM Reference

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs Qwen3.5-397B-A17B

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite (2026) and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B (2026) are frontier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and Alibaba. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ships a 1.05m-token context window, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ships a 262k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3.5-397B-A17B leads by 2.4 pts. On pricing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input tokens versus $0.39/1M 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 ~56% cheaper at $0.25/1M; pay for Qwen3.5-397B-A17B only for reasoning depth.

Decision scorecard

Local evidence first
SignalGemini 3.1 Flash-LiteQwen3.5-397B-A17B
Best formultimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysisreasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents
Decision fitCoding, RAG, and AgentsCoding, RAG, and Agents
Context window1.05m262k
Cheapest output$1.50/1M tokens$2.34/1M tokens
Provider routes3 tracked4 tracked
Shared benchmarks1 sharedGoogle-Proof Q&A leader

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 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
  • Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Choose Qwen3.5-397B-A17B when...
  • Qwen3.5-397B-A17B holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 2.4 points.
  • Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
  • Qwen3.5-397B-A17B uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
  • Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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.

Lower estimate Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite

$575

Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio

Qwen3.5-397B-A17B

$897

Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter

Estimated monthly gap: $322. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.

Switch friction

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite -> Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
  • Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is $0.84/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
  • Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
  • Qwen3.5-397B-A17B adds Reasoning in local capability data.
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B -> Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
  • Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is $0.84/1M 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 Code execution in local capability data.

Specs

Specification
Released2026-05-072026-02-16
Context window1.05m262k
Parameters—397B
ArchitectureDecoder OnlyMixture of Experts
LicenseProprietaryApache 2.0OSI-approved
OpennessProprietaryOpen source
WeightsNot releasedAvailable
CodeUnknownUnknown
Commercial useCommercial use: conditionalCommercial use: permitted
Knowledge cutoff2025-01-

Pricing and availability

Pricing attributeGemini 3.1 Flash-LiteQwen3.5-397B-A17B
Input price$0.25/1M tokens$0.39/1M tokens
Output price$1.50/1M tokens$2.34/1M tokens
Providers
Google AI StudioOpenRouterVercel AI Gateway
OpenRouterTogether AIAlibaba Cloud PAI-EASNovita AI

Capabilities

CapabilityGemini 3.1 Flash-LiteQwen3.5-397B-A17B
VisionYesYes
MultimodalYesYes
ReasoningNoYes
Function callingYesYes
Tool useYesYes
Structured outputsYesYes
Code executionYesNo
IDE integrationNoNo
Computer useNoNo
Parallel agentsNoNo

Benchmarks

BenchmarkGemini 3.1 Flash-LiteQwen3.5-397B-A17B
Google-Proof Q&A86.989.3

Deep dive

On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite at 86.9 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B at 89.3, with Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ahead by 2.4 points. The largest visible gap is 2.4 points on Google-Proof Q&A, 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 reasoning mode: Qwen3.5-397B-A17B and code execution: 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 Qwen3.5-397B-A17B lists $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite lower by about $0.35 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 4, 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 Qwen3.5-397B-A17B when reasoning depth 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 3.1 Flash-Lite or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite supports 1.05m tokens, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B supports 262k 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 Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?

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. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B costs $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.

Is Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B open source?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?

Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B 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 Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?

Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B expose multimodal input. 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.

Where can I run Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available on Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is available on OpenRouter, Together AI, Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS, and Novita AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.

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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.