Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs Grok 4.5
Grok 4.5 leads the LLM Stats Score 45.3 to 29.9. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 3.5x cheaper per token.
Google · xAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok 4.5 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 45.3 to 29.9, ranking #29 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Grok 4.5 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is roughly 3.5x 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.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
- cost matters — it's about 3.5x cheaper per token
- 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 Grok 4.5
- overall performance matters — it scores 45.3 and ranks #29 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Individual benchmarks
6 reported for Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite · 15 for Grok 4.5
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 2 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Pro, Terminal-Bench 2.1).
Grok 4.5 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 3.5 Flash-Lite ($0.30/1M tokens) is 6.7x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($2.50/1M tokens) is 2.4x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.5 is more expensive than Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Grok 4.5's 500,000 tokens. Only Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite specifies output context (65,536 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Grok 4.5 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Grok 4.5
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 3.5 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-07-21, while Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-16.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 0 month newer than Grok 4.5.
Jul 21, 2026
1 months ago
5d newerJul 16, 2026
1 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite has a knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while Grok 4.5 has a cutoff of 2026-02-01.
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 Grok 4.5 (2026-02-01).
Mar 2026
1 mo newerFeb 2026
Provider Availability
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is available from Google. Grok 4.5 is available from xAI.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Grok 4.5
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Grok 4.5 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs Grok 4.5.