Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs Kimi K3
Kimi K3 leads the LLM Stats Score 53.0 to 29.8. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 6.7x cheaper per token.
Google · Moonshot AI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Kimi K3 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 53.0 to 29.8, ranking #8 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Kimi K3 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is roughly 6.7x 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 3.5 Flash-Lite
- cost matters — it's about 6.7x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Choose Kimi K3
- overall performance matters — it scores 53.0 and ranks #8 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
- 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
6 reported for Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite · 31 for Kimi K3
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K3 is better at 2 benchmarks (CharXiv-R, Terminal-Bench 2.1).
Kimi K3 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 9.5x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($2.85/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($2.50/1M tokens) is 5.7x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($14.25/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Kimi K3 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
Both models have the same input context window of 1,048,576 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is limited to 65,536 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Kimi K3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Kimi K3
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is licensed under a proprietary license, while Kimi K3 uses Kimi K3 License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Kimi K3 License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-07-21, while Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 0 month newer than Kimi K3.
Jul 21, 2026
2 months ago
5d newerJul 16, 2026
2 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while Kimi K3's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite's training data extends to 2026-03-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without Kimi K3's cutoff date.
Mar 2026
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Provider Availability
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is available from Google. Kimi K3 is available from DeepInfra, Fireworks, Moonshot AI, Novita, Together.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Kimi K3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Kimi K3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs Kimi K3.