Gemma 2 27B vs Qwen2-7B
Gemma 2 27B (2024) and Qwen2-7B (2024) are compact production models from Google DeepMind and Alibaba. Gemma 2 27B ships a 8k-token context window, while Qwen2-7B ships a 128k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Gemma 2 27B leads by 1.3 pts. On pricing, Qwen2-7B costs $0.05/1M input tokens versus $0.08/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Qwen2-7B is ~60% cheaper at $0.05/1M; pay for Gemma 2 27B only for provider fit.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemma 2 27B | Qwen2-7B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, Classification, and JSON / Tool use | Coding, RAG, and Long context |
| Context window | 8k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $0.24/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 5 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemma 2 27B holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 1.3 points.
- Local decision data tags Gemma 2 27B for Coding, Classification, and JSON / Tool use.
- Qwen2-7B holds a shared-benchmark lead on HumanEval, ahead by 0.5 points.
- Qwen2-7B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen2-7B has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.15/1M tokens.
- Qwen2-7B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Qwen2-7B for Coding, RAG, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Gemma 2 27B
$124
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Bitdeer AI
Qwen2-7B
$77.50
Cheapest tracked route/tier: DeepInfra
Estimated monthly gap: $46.50. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Gemma 2 27B and Qwen2-7B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Qwen2-7B is $0.09/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen2-7B and Gemma 2 27B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Gemma 2 27B is $0.09/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-06-27 | 2024-06-05 |
| Context window | 8k | 128k |
| Parameters | 27B | 7.07B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | Gemma | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open weights | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemma 2 27B | Qwen2-7B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.08/1M tokens | $0.05/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.24/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemma 2 27B | Qwen2-7B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Gemma 2 27B | Qwen2-7B |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 56.7 | 55.4 |
| HumanEval | 80.4 | 80.9 |
| Grade School Math 8K | 89.7 | 82.7 |
| Massive Multitask Language Understanding | 81.6 | 80.2 |
| HellaSwag | 92.6 | 92.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Gemma 2 27B at 56.7 and Qwen2-7B at 55.4, with Gemma 2 27B ahead by 1.3 points; HumanEval has Gemma 2 27B at 80.4 and Qwen2-7B at 80.9, with Qwen2-7B ahead by 0.5 points; Grade School Math 8K has Gemma 2 27B at 89.7 and Qwen2-7B at 82.7, with Gemma 2 27B ahead by 7 points. The largest visible gap is 7 points on Grade School Math 8K, 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 is close: both models cover structured outputs. That makes context budget, benchmark fit, and provider maturity more important than a simple checklist. If your application depends on one integration detail, verify it against the provider route you plan to use, not just the base model listing.
For cost, Gemma 2 27B lists $0.08/1M input and $0.24/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Qwen2-7B lists $0.05/1M input and $0.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Qwen2-7B lower by about $0.05 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 5, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemma 2 27B when provider fit are central to the workload. Choose Qwen2-7B when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost 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 2 27B or Qwen2-7B?
Qwen2-7B supports 128k tokens, while Gemma 2 27B supports 8k 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 2 27B or Qwen2-7B?
Qwen2-7B is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemma 2 27B costs $0.08/1M input and $0.24/1M output tokens. Qwen2-7B costs $0.05/1M input and $0.15/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemma 2 27B or Qwen2-7B open source?
Gemma 2 27B is listed under Gemma. Qwen2-7B 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 structured outputs, Gemma 2 27B or Qwen2-7B?
Both Gemma 2 27B and Qwen2-7B expose structured outputs. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run Gemma 2 27B and Qwen2-7B?
Gemma 2 27B is available on GCP Vertex AI and Bitdeer AI. Qwen2-7B is available on DeepInfra, OctoAI API (Deprecated), Microsoft Foundry, Fireworks AI, and NVIDIA NIM. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
When should I pick Gemma 2 27B over Qwen2-7B?
Qwen2-7B is ~60% cheaper at $0.05/1M; pay for Gemma 2 27B only for provider fit. If your workload also depends on provider fit, start with Gemma 2 27B; if it depends on long-context analysis, run the same evaluation with Qwen2-7B.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.