Gemma 3 vs GPT-4 Vision Preview
Gemma 3 (2025) and GPT-4 Vision Preview (2023) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and OpenAI. Gemma 3 ships a not-yet-sourced context window, while GPT-4 Vision Preview ships a 128K-token context window. On pricing, Gemma 3 costs $0.04/1M input tokens versus $10/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Gemma 3 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 | GPT-4 Vision Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Classification and JSON / Tool use | Coding, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | — | 128K |
| Cheapest output | $0.08/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 3 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.08/1M tokens.
- Gemma 3 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemma 3 uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 3 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
$52.00
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
GPT-4 Vision Preview
$18,000
Cheapest tracked route: Azure OpenAI
Estimated monthly gap: $17,948. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 3 and GPT-4 Vision Preview; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- GPT-4 Vision Preview is $39.92/1M 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; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 3 is $39.92/1M 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 adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-03-12 | 2023-11-06 |
| Context window | — | 128K |
| Parameters | — | 1.76T (8x222B MoE)* |
| Architecture | decoder only | mixture of experts |
| License | Open Source | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2023-04 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 3 | GPT-4 Vision Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.04/1M tokens | $10/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.08/1M tokens | $40/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 3 | 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, 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 lists $0.04/1M input and $0.08/1M 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 lower by about $18.95 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 3 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 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 is cheaper, Gemma 3 or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
Gemma 3 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 3 costs $0.04/1M input and $0.08/1M 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 or GPT-4 Vision Preview open source?
Gemma 3 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 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 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.
Which is better for structured outputs, Gemma 3 or GPT-4 Vision Preview?
Gemma 3 has the clearer documented structured outputs signal in this comparison. If structured outputs 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 and GPT-4 Vision Preview?
Gemma 3 is available on OpenRouter, Google AI Studio, 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.