Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs Gemma 4 31B
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Gemma 4 31B are closely matched at 31.2 and 33.4 on the LLM Stats Score. Gemma 4 31B is 2.9x cheaper per token.
Google · Google · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Gemma 4 31B are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 31.2 and 33.4.
In the 5 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Gemma 4 31B wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Gemma 4 31B is roughly 2.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite also accepts a larger context window (1,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,000,000 token context window
Choose Gemma 4 31B
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 5 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 2.9x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
11 reported for Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite · 12 for Gemma 4 31B
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMLU), while Gemma 4 31B is better at 3 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam, MMMU-Pro, MRCR v2 (8-needle)).
Gemma 4 31B has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ($0.25/1M tokens) is 1.9x more expensive than Gemma 4 31B ($0.13/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ($1.50/1M tokens) is 3.9x more expensive than Gemma 4 31B ($0.38/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is more expensive than Gemma 4 31B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite accepts 1,000,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 4 31B's 262,144 tokens. Gemma 4 31B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is limited to 65,536 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Gemma 4 31B support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
Gemma 4 31B
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is licensed under a proprietary license, while Gemma 4 31B uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-03-03, while Gemma 4 31B was released on 2026-04-02.
Gemma 4 31B is 1 month newer than Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite.
Mar 3, 2026
6 months ago
Apr 2, 2026
5 months ago
1mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has a knowledge cutoff of 2025-01-31, while Gemma 4 31B has a cutoff of 2025-01-01.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has more recent training data (up to 2025-01-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Gemma 4 31B (2025-01-01).
Jan 2025
Jan 2025
Provider Availability
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available from Google. Gemma 4 31B is available from DeepInfra, FriendliAI, Novita, Together.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
Gemma 4 31B
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and Gemma 4 31B side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs Gemma 4 31B.