Gemma 4 12B IT vs Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct
Gemma 4 12B IT (2026) and Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct (2025) are frontier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and AI at Meta. Gemma 4 12B IT ships a 256k-token context window, while Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct ships a 10m-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Gemma 4 12B IT leads by 2.9 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct fits 39x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Gemma 4 12B IT for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 4 12B IT | Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | multimodal apps, long-context analysis, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 256k | 10m |
| Cheapest output | - | $0.30/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 12 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 2 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 4 12B IT holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 2.9 points.
- Gemma 4 12B IT uniquely exposes Reasoning and JSON / Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 12B IT for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct 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 4 12B IT
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct
$139
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 4 12B IT and Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning and JSON / JSON / Tool use before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct and Gemma 4 12B IT; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 4 12B IT adds Reasoning and JSON / JSON / Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-06-03 | 2025-04-05 |
| Context window | 256k | 10m |
| Parameters | 12B | 109B (17B active) |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | Apache 2.0OSI-approved | Llama 4 Community |
| Openness | Open source | Open weights |
| Weights | Available | Unknown |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: conditional |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2024-08 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 4 12B IT | Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $0.08/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $0.30/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 4 12B IT | Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| JSON / Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Gemma 4 12B IT | Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 77.2 | 74.3 |
| LiveCodeBench | 72.0 | 32.8 |
Continue comparing
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Popular comparisons for Llama 4 Scout 17B-16E Instruct
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Last reviewed: 2026-07-09. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.