Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview vs Llama Guard 4 12B
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview (2026) and Llama Guard 4 12B (2025) are general-purpose language models from Google DeepMind and AI at Meta. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview ships a 1m-token context window, while Llama Guard 4 12B ships a 164k-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 fits 6x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Llama Guard 4 12B for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | Llama Guard 4 12B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis | provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Long context, and Classification |
| Context window | 1m | 164k |
| Cheapest output | $12/1M tokens | $0.18/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Llama Guard 4 12B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.18/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Llama Guard 4 12B for RAG, Long context, and Classification.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview
$4,600
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
Llama Guard 4 12B
$189
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $4,411. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on Replicate API and OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Llama Guard 4 12B is $11.82/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Replicate API; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is $11.82/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview adds Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-19 | 2025-04-05 |
| Context window | 1m | 164k |
| Parameters | — | 12B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | Proprietary | Llama 2 Community |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open weights |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: conditional |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2024-08 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | Llama Guard 4 12B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price |
| $0.18/1M tokens |
| Output price |
| $0.18/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | Llama Guard 4 12B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Pro Preview, multimodal input: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, 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 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 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, while Llama Guard 4 12B lists $0.18/1M input and $0.18/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Llama Guard 4 12B lower by about $4.82 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 5 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Llama Guard 4 12B when provider fit 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.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview supports 1m tokens, while Llama Guard 4 12B supports 164k 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 Pro Preview or Llama Guard 4 12B?
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. Llama Guard 4 12B lists $0.18/1M input and $0.18/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. 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 3.1 Pro Preview or Llama Guard 4 12B open source?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is listed under Proprietary. Llama Guard 4 12B is listed under Llama 2 Community. 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 Pro Preview or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 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 Pro Preview or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 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 Pro Preview and Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview is available on Google AI Studio, GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, Replicate API, and Vercel AI Gateway. Llama Guard 4 12B is available on NVIDIA NIM, Replicate API, and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.