Gemma 3n 4B (free) vs Qwen3.5-4B
Gemma 3n 4B (free) (2025) and Qwen3.5-4B (2026) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and Alibaba. Gemma 3n 4B (free) ships a 8K-token context window, while Qwen3.5-4B ships a 262K-token context window. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing. The goal is to make the tradeoff clear before deeper testing.
Qwen3.5-4B fits 33x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Gemma 3n 4B (free) for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 3n 4B (free) | Qwen3.5-4B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | multimodal apps |
| Decision fit | Classification and JSON / Tool use | Long context and Vision |
| Context window | 8K | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $0.04/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 0 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 3n 4B (free) has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemma 3n 4B (free) uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 3n 4B (free) for Classification and JSON / Tool use.
- Qwen3.5-4B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.5-4B uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-4B for Long context and Vision.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Gemma 3n 4B (free)
$26.00
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Together AI
Qwen3.5-4B
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 3n 4B (free) and Qwen3.5-4B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.5-4B adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen3.5-4B and Gemma 3n 4B (free); plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- Gemma 3n 4B (free) adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-04-03 | 2026-03-02 |
| Context window | 8K | 262K |
| Parameters | 8B (4B effective active) | 4B |
| Architecture | decoder only | - |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-06 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 3n 4B (free) | Qwen3.5-4B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.02/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $0.04/1M tokens | - |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 3n 4B (free) | Qwen3.5-4B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| 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 differs most on vision: Qwen3.5-4B, multimodal input: Qwen3.5-4B, and structured outputs: Gemma 3n 4B (free). 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: Gemma 3n 4B (free) has $0.02/1M input tokens and Qwen3.5-4B has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 3 tracked routes versus 0. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose Gemma 3n 4B (free) when provider fit and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.5-4B 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. For teams standardizing a stack, that distinction is often the difference between a benchmark win and a reliable deployment.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemma 3n 4B (free) or Qwen3.5-4B?
Qwen3.5-4B supports 262K tokens, while Gemma 3n 4B (free) supports 8K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is Gemma 3n 4B (free) or Qwen3.5-4B open source?
Gemma 3n 4B (free) is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.5-4B 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 vision, Gemma 3n 4B (free) or Qwen3.5-4B?
Qwen3.5-4B 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. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, Gemma 3n 4B (free) or Qwen3.5-4B?
Qwen3.5-4B 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 3n 4B (free) or Qwen3.5-4B?
Gemma 3n 4B (free) 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 3n 4B (free) and Qwen3.5-4B?
Gemma 3n 4B (free) is available on NVIDIA NIM, Together AI, and OpenRouter. Qwen3.5-4B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.