Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs o4-mini
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and o4-mini are closely matched at 31.2 and 27.8 on the LLM Stats Score. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is 3.4x cheaper per token.
Google · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and o4-mini are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 31.2 and 27.8.
In the 3 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is roughly 3.4x 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 value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 3 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 3.4x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,000,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2026
Choose o4-mini
- you want predictable pricing at $1.10/M input and $4.40/M output
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 · 14 for o4-mini
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite outperforms in 3 benchmarks (CharXiv-R, GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam), while o4-mini is better at 0 benchmarks.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
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 4.4x cheaper than o4-mini ($1.10/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ($1.50/1M tokens) is 2.9x cheaper than o4-mini ($4.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o4-mini is more expensive than Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite.*
* 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 o4-mini's 200,000 tokens. o4-mini can generate longer responses up to 100,000 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 o4-mini support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
o4-mini
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 3.1 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-03-03, while o4-mini was released on 2025-04-16.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is 11 months newer than o4-mini.
Mar 3, 2026
6 months ago
10mo newerApr 16, 2025
1.4 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has a knowledge cutoff of 2025-01-31, while o4-mini has a cutoff of 2024-05-31.
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 o4-mini (2024-05-31).
Jan 2025
8 mo newerMay 2024
Provider Availability
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available from Google. o4-mini is available from OpenAI.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
o4-mini
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and o4-mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs o4-mini.