Gemini 1.5 Flash vs Gemini 3.8 Flash
Gemini 3.8 Flash leads the LLM Stats Score 51.3 to 6.2. Gemini 1.5 Flash is 5.7x cheaper per token.
Google · Google · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemini 3.8 Flash leads the overall LLM Stats Score 51.3 to 6.2, ranking #14 overall.
On price, Gemini 1.5 Flash is roughly 5.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemini 1.5 Flash
- cost matters — it's about 5.7x cheaper per token
Choose Gemini 3.8 Flash
- overall performance matters — it scores 51.3 and ranks #14 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2026
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
22 reported for Gemini 1.5 Flash · 13 for Gemini 3.8 Flash
Gemini 1.5 Flash and Gemini 3.8 Flashdon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemini 1.5 Flash ($0.15/1M tokens) is 5.0x cheaper than Gemini 3.8 Flash ($0.75/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 1.5 Flash ($0.60/1M tokens) is 6.3x cheaper than Gemini 3.8 Flash ($3.75/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Gemini 3.8 Flash is more expensive than Gemini 1.5 Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 1,048,576 tokens. Gemini 3.8 Flash can generate longer responses up to 65,536 tokens, while Gemini 1.5 Flash is limited to 8,192 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Gemini 1.5 Flash and Gemini 3.8 Flash support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 1.5 Flash
Gemini 3.8 Flash
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.
Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.
Proprietary
Closed source
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemini 1.5 Flash was released on 2024-05-01, while Gemini 3.8 Flash was released on 2026-09-02.
Gemini 3.8 Flash is 28 months newer than Gemini 1.5 Flash.
May 1, 2024
2.3 years ago
Sep 2, 2026
0 days ago
2.3yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 1.5 Flash has a knowledge cutoff of 2023-11-01, while Gemini 3.8 Flash has a cutoff of 2026-03-31.
Gemini 3.8 Flash has more recent training data (up to 2026-03-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Gemini 1.5 Flash (2023-11-01).
Nov 2023
Mar 2026
2.3 yr newerProvider Availability
Gemini 1.5 Flash is available from Google. Gemini 3.8 Flash is available from Google.
Gemini 1.5 Flash
Gemini 3.8 Flash
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 1.5 Flash and Gemini 3.8 Flash side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 1.5 Flash vs Gemini 3.8 Flash.