Gemma 3 12B vs GPT-4 Vision Preview
Gemma 3 12B (2026) and GPT-4 Vision Preview (2023) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and OpenAI. Gemma 3 12B ships a 33K-token context window, while GPT-4 Vision Preview ships a 128K-token context window. On pricing, Gemma 3 12B costs $0.04/1M input tokens versus $10/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Gemma 3 12B is ~24900% cheaper at $0.04/1M; pay for GPT-4 Vision Preview only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 3 12B | GPT-4 Vision Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Classification and JSON / Tool use | Coding, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 33K | 128K |
| Cheapest output | $0.13/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 3 12B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.13/1M tokens.
- Gemma 3 12B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemma 3 12B uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 3 12B for Classification and JSON / Tool use.
- GPT-4 Vision Preview has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GPT-4 Vision Preview uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4 Vision Preview for Coding, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Gemma 3 12B
$64.50
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
GPT-4 Vision Preview
$18,000
Cheapest tracked route: Azure OpenAI
Estimated monthly gap: $17,936. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 3 12B and GPT-4 Vision Preview; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- GPT-4 Vision Preview is $39.87/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- GPT-4 Vision Preview adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for GPT-4 Vision Preview and Gemma 3 12B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 3 12B is $39.87/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Gemma 3 12B adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-01-01 | 2023-11-06 |
| Context window | 33K | 128K |
| Parameters | — | 1.76T (8x222B MoE)* |
| Architecture | decoder only | mixture of experts |
| License | Open Source | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-08 | 2023-04 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 3 12B | GPT-4 Vision Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.04/1M tokens | $10/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.13/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 3 12B | GPT-4 Vision Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: GPT-4 Vision Preview, multimodal input: GPT-4 Vision Preview, structured outputs: Gemma 3 12B, and code execution: GPT-4 Vision Preview. 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, Gemma 3 12B lists $0.04/1M input and $0.13/1M output tokens, while GPT-4 Vision Preview lists $10/1M input and $40/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemma 3 12B lower by about $18.93 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 3 12B when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose GPT-4 Vision Preview when coding workflow support 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.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemma 3 12B or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
GPT-4 Vision Preview supports 128K tokens, while Gemma 3 12B supports 33K 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 3 12B or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
Gemma 3 12B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 3 12B costs $0.04/1M input and $0.13/1M output tokens. GPT-4 Vision Preview costs $10/1M input and $40/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemma 3 12B or GPT-4 Vision Preview open source?
Gemma 3 12B is listed under Open Source. GPT-4 Vision Preview is listed under Proprietary. 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, Gemma 3 12B or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
GPT-4 Vision 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, Gemma 3 12B or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
GPT-4 Vision 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 Gemma 3 12B and GPT-4 Vision Preview?
Gemma 3 12B is available on AWS Bedrock, OpenRouter, and GCP Vertex AI. GPT-4 Vision Preview is available on Azure OpenAI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.