Gemma 3 12B vs Gemma 4 12B IT
Gemma 3 12B (2026) and Gemma 4 12B IT (2026) are frontier reasoning models from Google DeepMind. Gemma 3 12B ships a 33k-token context window, while Gemma 4 12B IT ships a 256k-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. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Gemma 4 12B IT fits 8x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Gemma 3 12B for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 3 12B | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Classification and JSON / JSON / Tool use | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 33k | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $0.13/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 3 12B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 3 12B for Classification and JSON / Tool use.
- Gemma 4 12B IT has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemma 4 12B IT uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 12B IT 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.
Gemma 3 12B
$64.50
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Gemma 4 12B IT
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 3 12B and Gemma 4 12B IT; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 4 12B IT adds Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 4 12B IT and Gemma 3 12B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-01-01 | 2026-06-03 |
| Context window | 33k | 256k |
| Parameters | 12B | 12B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | Gemma | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open weights | Open source |
| Weights | Unknown | Available |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-08 | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 3 12B | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.04/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $0.13/1M tokens | - |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 3 12B | Gemma 4 12B IT |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| JSON / Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.