Gemma 4 26B A4B IT vs Qwen3.5-9B
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT (2026) and Qwen3.5-9B (2026) are general-purpose language models from Google DeepMind and Alibaba. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT ships a 256k-token context window, while Qwen3.5-9B ships a 262K-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3.5-9B leads by 2.5 pts. On pricing, Gemma 4 26B A4B IT costs $0.06/1M input tokens versus $0.1/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is ~67% cheaper at $0.06/1M; pay for Qwen3.5-9B only for long-context analysis.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 256k | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $0.33/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 4 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 rows | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 4 26B A4B IT for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Qwen3.5-9B leads the largest shared benchmark signal on Google-Proof Q&A by 2.5 points.
- Qwen3.5-9B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.5-9B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.15/1M tokens.
- Qwen3.5-9B uniquely exposes Vision and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-9B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT
$131
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Qwen3.5-9B
$118
Cheapest tracked route: Together AI
Estimated monthly gap: $13.00. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on Together AI and OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.5-9B is $0.18/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Qwen3.5-9B adds Vision and Tool use in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Together AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is $0.18/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Tool use before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-03-31 | 2026-03-02 |
| Context window | 256k | 262K |
| Parameters | 26B | 9B |
| Architecture | - | decoder only |
| License | Open Source | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.06/1M tokens | $0.1/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.33/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | Qwen3.5-9B |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 79.2 | 81.7 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Gemma 4 26B A4B IT at 79.2 and Qwen3.5-9B at 81.7, with Qwen3.5-9B ahead by 2.5 points. The largest visible gap is 2.5 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: Qwen3.5-9B and tool use: Qwen3.5-9B. Both models share multimodal input, function calling, and structured outputs, 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 4 26B A4B IT lists $0.06/1M input and $0.33/1M output tokens, while Qwen3.5-9B lists $0.1/1M input and $0.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen3.5-9B lower by about $0.03 per million blended tokens. Availability is 4 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 4 26B A4B IT when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.5-9B 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.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemma 4 26B A4B IT or Qwen3.5-9B?
Qwen3.5-9B supports 262K tokens, while Gemma 4 26B A4B IT supports 256k 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 4 26B A4B IT or Qwen3.5-9B?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT costs $0.06/1M input and $0.33/1M output tokens. Qwen3.5-9B costs $0.1/1M input and $0.15/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemma 4 26B A4B IT or Qwen3.5-9B open source?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is listed under Open Source. Qwen3.5-9B 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 4 26B A4B IT or Qwen3.5-9B?
Qwen3.5-9B 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 4 26B A4B IT or Qwen3.5-9B?
Both Gemma 4 26B A4B IT and Qwen3.5-9B expose multimodal input. 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 26B A4B IT and Qwen3.5-9B?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is available on Google AI Studio, GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, and Together AI. Qwen3.5-9B is available on Together AI, OpenRouter, and Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-14. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.