Gemma 2 27B Instruct vs Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct
Gemma 2 27B Instruct (2024) and Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct (2024) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and Alibaba. Gemma 2 27B Instruct ships a 8k-token context window, while Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct ships a 33k-token context window. On pricing, Gemma 2 27B Instruct costs $0.25/1M input tokens versus $0.70/1M 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.
Gemma 2 27B Instruct is ~180% cheaper at $0.25/1M; pay for Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct only for long-context analysis.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 2 27B Instruct | Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | general production evaluation |
| Decision fit | Classification and JSON / Tool use | Classification and JSON / Tool use |
| Context window | 8k | 33k |
| Cheapest output | $0.75/1M tokens | $0.70/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 2 27B Instruct has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 2 27B Instruct for Classification and JSON / Tool use.
- Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.70/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct for Classification and JSON / Tool use.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Gemma 2 27B Instruct
$388
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Arcee AI
Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct
$735
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Together AI
Estimated monthly gap: $348. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 2 27B Instruct and Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct is $0.05/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct and Gemma 2 27B Instruct; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 2 27B Instruct is $0.05/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-06-27 | 2024-06-07 |
| Context window | 8k | 33k |
| Parameters | 27B | 72B |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Gemma | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Open weights | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 2 27B Instruct | Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.25/1M tokens | $0.70/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.75/1M tokens | $0.70/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 2 27B Instruct | Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| 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 is close: both models cover structured outputs. That makes context budget, benchmark fit, and provider maturity more important than a simple checklist. If your application depends on one integration detail, verify it against the provider route you plan to use, not just the base model listing.
For cost, Gemma 2 27B Instruct lists $0.25/1M input and $0.75/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct lists $0.70/1M input and $0.70/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemma 2 27B Instruct lower by about $0.30 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 2 27B Instruct when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct when long-context analysis and larger context windows 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 has a larger context window, Gemma 2 27B Instruct or Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct?
Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct supports 33k tokens, while Gemma 2 27B Instruct supports 8k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Gemma 2 27B Instruct or Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct?
Gemma 2 27B Instruct is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 2 27B Instruct costs $0.25/1M input and $0.75/1M output tokens. Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct costs $0.70/1M input and $0.70/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemma 2 27B Instruct or Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct open source?
Gemma 2 27B Instruct is listed under Gemma. Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct 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 structured outputs, Gemma 2 27B Instruct or Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct?
Both Gemma 2 27B Instruct and Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct expose structured outputs. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run Gemma 2 27B Instruct and Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct?
Gemma 2 27B Instruct is available on NVIDIA NIM, OpenRouter, Fireworks AI, Arcee AI, and Replicate API. Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct is available on Together AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
When should I pick Gemma 2 27B Instruct over Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct?
Gemma 2 27B Instruct is ~180% cheaper at $0.25/1M; pay for Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct only for long-context analysis. If your workload also depends on provider fit, start with Gemma 2 27B Instruct; if it depends on long-context analysis, run the same evaluation with Together AI Qwen2-72B-Instruct.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.