Model Comparison

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs GPT-4.1 nanoWhich is better in 2026?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4.1 nano is 4.9x cheaper per token.

Verdict: Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs GPT-4.1 nano — which is better?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite (by Google) and GPT-4.1 nano (by OpenAI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite outperforms in 1 benchmarks (CharXiv-R), while GPT-4.1 nano is better at 0 benchmarks. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, GPT-4.1 nano is roughly 4.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Choose GPT-4.1 nano if…

  • cost matters — it's about 4.9x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite outperforms in 1 benchmarks (CharXiv-R), while GPT-4.1 nano is better at 0 benchmarks.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Wed Jul 22 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4.1 nano costs less

For input processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($0.30/1M tokens) is 3.0x more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($2.50/1M tokens) is 6.3x more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano ($0.40/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Wed Jul 22 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Input tokens$0.30
Output tokens$2.50
Best providerGoogle
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.40
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to GPT-4.1 nano's 1,047,576 tokens. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite can generate longer responses up to 65,536 tokens, while GPT-4.1 nano is limited to 32,768 tokens.

Google
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
Wed Jul 22 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GPT-4.1 nano support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-4.1 nano

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.

Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

Proprietary

Closed source

GPT-4.1 nano

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-07-21, while GPT-4.1 nano was released on 2025-04-14.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 15 months newer than GPT-4.1 nano.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

Jul 21, 2026

1 days ago

1.3yr newer
GPT-4.1 nano

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite has a knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while GPT-4.1 nano has a cutoff of 2024-05-31.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite has more recent training data (up to 2026-03-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4.1 nano (2024-05-31).

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

Mar 2026

1.8 yr newer
GPT-4.1 nano

May 2024

Provider Availability

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is available from Google. GPT-4.1 nano is available from OpenAI.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

google logo
Google
Input Price:Input: $0.30/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.50/1M

GPT-4.1 nano

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.40/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Google
Larger context window (1,048,576 tokens)
Higher CharXiv-R score (76.5% vs 40.5%)
OpenAI
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GPT-4.1 nano side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
✓ Preferred
GPT-4.1 nano
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano

FAQ

Common questions about Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs GPT-4.1 nano.

Which is better, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or GPT-4.1 nano?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is made by Google and GPT-4.1 nano is made by OpenAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite compare to GPT-4.1 nano in benchmarks?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite scores CharXiv-R: 76.5%, OSWorld-Verified: 74.0%, SWE-Bench Pro: 54.2%, Terminal-Bench 2.1: 54.0%, MLE-Bench: 39.2%. GPT-4.1 nano scores MMLU: 80.1%, IFEval: 74.5%, CharXiv-D: 73.9%, MMMLU: 66.9%, Multi-IF: 57.2%.

Is Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite cheaper than GPT-4.1 nano?

GPT-4.1 nano is 3.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite costs $0.30/M input and $2.50/M output via google. GPT-4.1 nano costs $0.10/M input and $0.40/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GPT-4.1 nano?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite supports 1.0M tokens and GPT-4.1 nano supports 1.0M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GPT-4.1 nano?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 1.0M), input pricing ($0.30 vs $0.10/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GPT-4.1 nano?

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is developed by Google and GPT-4.1 nano is developed by OpenAI.

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