Gemma 3 12B (free) vs Llama Guard 4 12B
Gemma 3 12B (free) (2026) and Llama Guard 4 12B (2025) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and AI at Meta. Gemma 3 12B (free) ships a 33K-token context window, while Llama Guard 4 12B ships a 164K-token context window. On pricing, Gemma 3 12B (free) costs $0.04/1M input tokens versus $0.18/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Gemma 3 12B (free) is ~350% cheaper at $0.04/1M; pay for Llama Guard 4 12B only for long-context analysis.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-01-01 | 2025-04-05 |
| Context window | 33K | 164K |
| Parameters | — | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Open Source | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 3 12B (free) | Llama Guard 4 12B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.04/1M tokens | $0.18/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.13/1M tokens | $0.18/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 3 12B (free) | Llama Guard 4 12B |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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 3 12B (free) lists $0.04/1M input and $0.13/1M output tokens, 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 Gemma 3 12B (free) lower by about $0.11 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 3 12B (free) when provider fit and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Llama Guard 4 12B 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 3 12B (free) or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Llama Guard 4 12B supports 164K tokens, while Gemma 3 12B (free) 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 (free) or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemma 3 12B (free) is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 3 12B (free) costs $0.04/1M input and $0.13/1M output tokens. Llama Guard 4 12B costs $0.18/1M input and $0.18/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemma 3 12B (free) or Llama Guard 4 12B open source?
Gemma 3 12B (free) is listed under Open Source. Llama Guard 4 12B is listed under Open Source. 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 3 12B (free) or Llama Guard 4 12B?
Both Gemma 3 12B (free) and Llama Guard 4 12B 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 3 12B (free) and Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemma 3 12B (free) is available on AWS Bedrock, OpenRouter, and GCP Vertex AI. 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.
When should I pick Gemma 3 12B (free) over Llama Guard 4 12B?
Gemma 3 12B (free) is ~350% cheaper at $0.04/1M; pay for Llama Guard 4 12B only for long-context analysis. If your workload also depends on provider fit, start with Gemma 3 12B (free); if it depends on long-context analysis, run the same evaluation with Llama Guard 4 12B.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-11. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.