Gemma 4 12B IT vs Phi-4 Mini Reasoning
Gemma 4 12B IT (2026) and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and Microsoft Research. Gemma 4 12B IT ships a 256k-token context window, while Phi-4 Mini Reasoning ships a 128k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Gemma 4 12B IT leads by 26.8 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Gemma 4 12B IT is safer overall; choose Phi-4 Mini Reasoning when provider fit matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 4 12B IT | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents | reasoning-heavy apps |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Long context |
| Context window | 256k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | - | - |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 0 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 1 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 4 12B IT leads the largest shared benchmark signal on Google-Proof Q&A by 26.8 points.
- Gemma 4 12B IT has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemma 4 12B IT has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Gemma 4 12B IT uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 12B IT for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Local decision data tags Phi-4 Mini Reasoning for Long context.
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
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning
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 4 12B IT and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Phi-4 Mini Reasoning and Gemma 4 12B IT; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 4 12B IT adds Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-06-03 | 2026-05-16 |
| Context window | 256k | 128k |
| Parameters | 11.9B | 3.8B |
| Architecture | encoder free unified multimodal | - |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2025-02 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 4 12B IT | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | - |
| Output price | - | - |
| Providers | - |
Pricing not yet sourced for either model.
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 4 12B IT | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Gemma 4 12B IT | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 78.8 | 52.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Gemma 4 12B IT at 78.8 and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning at 52, with Gemma 4 12B IT ahead by 26.8 points. The largest visible gap is 26.8 points on Google-Proof Q&A, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Gemma 4 12B IT, multimodal input: Gemma 4 12B IT, function calling: Gemma 4 12B IT, tool use: Gemma 4 12B IT, and structured outputs: Gemma 4 12B IT. Both models share reasoning mode, 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 4 12B IT has no token price sourced yet and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 2 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 4 12B IT when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Phi-4 Mini Reasoning when provider fit are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemma 4 12B IT or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Gemma 4 12B IT supports 256k tokens, while Phi-4 Mini Reasoning supports 128k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is Gemma 4 12B IT or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning open source?
Gemma 4 12B IT is listed under Apache 2.0. Phi-4 Mini Reasoning 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 4 12B IT or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Gemma 4 12B IT 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 4 12B IT or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Gemma 4 12B IT 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 reasoning mode, Gemma 4 12B IT or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Both Gemma 4 12B IT and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning expose reasoning mode. 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 4 12B IT and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Gemma 4 12B IT is available on Hugging Face Inference Endpoints and Kaggle Models. Phi-4 Mini Reasoning 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: 2026-06-03. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.