Last refreshed 2026-05-11. Next refresh: weekly.
Why use Gemma 3 on GCP Vertex AI?
GCP Vertex AI offers Gemma 3 with free input token pricing. Vertex AI is Google Cloud's managed AI platform, offering access to Gemini models and hundreds of partner models alongside tools for fine-tuning, grounding, vector search, and end-to-end MLOps pipelines.
Compare Gemma 3 across 3 providers to find the best fit for your use caseSetup recipe
Python + curlpip install google-cloud-aiplatformexport GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT=...import os
import vertexai
from vertexai.generative_models import GenerativeModel
vertexai.init(project=os.environ["GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT"], location="us-central1")gemma-3Request example
import os
import vertexai
from vertexai.generative_models import GenerativeModel
# Reads GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT from env; authenticates via Application Default Credentials
vertexai.init(project=os.environ["GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT"], location="us-central1")
model = GenerativeModel("gemma-3")
response = model.generate_content("Hello")
print(response.text)Gotchas
- For Google-published models use the model name directly, e.g. "gemini-2.0-flash-001". For third-party publishers (Anthropic, Meta, etc.) use the full publisher path, e.g. "publishers/anthropic/models/claude-3-5-sonnet-v2@20241022".
- The examples expect GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT; rename it only if your application config maps the new variable.
Compare Gemma 3 Across Providers
| Provider | Input (per 1M) | Output (per 1M) |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | $0.04 | $0.08 |
| Google AI Studio | Free | Free |
| GCP Vertex AI | Free | Free |
Pricing
| Type | Price (per 1M) |
|---|---|
| Input tokens | Free |
| Output tokens | Free |
Capabilities
About Gemma 3
Lightweight, state-of-the-art open model built from the same technology that powers Gemini models. Available for free local deployment via Hugging Face and other hosting providers.
FAQ
What does Gemma 3 cost on GCP Vertex AI?
On GCP Vertex AI, Gemma 3 costs $0 per 1M input tokens and $0 per 1M output tokens.
How does GCP Vertex AI compare to other Gemma 3 providers?
Gemma 3 is available from 3 providers. The cheapest input pricing is $0/1M tokens from Google AI Studio.
Who created Gemma 3?
Gemma 3 was created by Google DeepMind as part of the Gemma 3 model family.
Is Gemma 3 open source?
Gemma 3 is open source according to the seed data.