Model Comparison

Gemini 3.6 Flash vs Nova 2 LiteWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Gemini 3.6 Flash vs Nova 2 Lite — which is better?

Gemini 3.6 Flash (by Google) and Nova 2 Lite (by Amazon) 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.

On price, Nova 2 Lite is roughly 3.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Gemini 3.6 Flash also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemini 3.6 Flash if…

  • 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 Nova 2 Lite if…

  • cost matters — it's about 3.5x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Litedon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Nova 2 Lite costs less

For input processing, Gemini 3.6 Flash ($1.50/1M tokens) is 5.0x more expensive than Nova 2 Lite ($0.30/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemini 3.6 Flash ($7.50/1M tokens) is 3.0x more expensive than Nova 2 Lite ($2.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Gemini 3.6 Flash is more expensive than Nova 2 Lite.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
Input tokens$1.50
Output tokens$7.50
Best providerGoogle
Amazon
Nova 2 Lite
Input tokens$0.30
Output tokens$2.50
Best providerAWS Bedrock
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Gemini 3.6 Flash accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Nova 2 Lite's 1,000,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 65,536 tokens.

Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
Amazon
Nova 2 Lite
Input1,000,000 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite support multimodal inputs.

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

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Nova 2 Lite

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 3.6 Flash

Proprietary

Closed source

Nova 2 Lite

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemini 3.6 Flash was released on 2026-07-21, while Nova 2 Lite was released on 2025-12-02.

Gemini 3.6 Flash is 8 months newer than Nova 2 Lite.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Jul 21, 2026

0 days ago

7mo newer
Nova 2 Lite

Dec 2, 2025

7 months ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Gemini 3.6 Flash has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while Nova 2 Lite's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm Gemini 3.6 Flash's training data extends to 2026-03-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without Nova 2 Lite's cutoff date.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Mar 2026

Nova 2 Lite

—

Provider Availability

Gemini 3.6 Flash is available from Google. Nova 2 Lite is available from Bedrock.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

google logo
Google
Input Price:Input: $1.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $7.50/1M

Nova 2 Lite

bedrock logo
AWS Bedrock
Input Price:Input: $0.30/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.50/1M
* 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)
Amazon
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Gemini 3.6 Flash
✓ Preferred
Nova 2 Lite
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
Amazon
Nova 2 Lite

FAQ

Common questions about Gemini 3.6 Flash vs Nova 2 Lite.

Which is better, Gemini 3.6 Flash or Nova 2 Lite?

Gemini 3.6 Flash (Google) and Nova 2 Lite (Amazon) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does Gemini 3.6 Flash compare to Nova 2 Lite in benchmarks?

Gemini 3.6 Flash scores CharXiv-R: 89.4%, OSWorld-Verified: 83.0%, Terminal-Bench 2.1: 78.0%, MLE-Bench: 63.9%, SWE-Bench Pro: 58.7%. Nova 2 Lite scores AIME 2025: 91.0%, LongCodeBench: 84.0%, ScreenSpot: 83.3%, MMLU-Pro: 80.9%, GPQA: 79.6%.

Is Gemini 3.6 Flash cheaper than Nova 2 Lite?

Nova 2 Lite is 5.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemini 3.6 Flash costs $1.50/M input and $7.50/M output via google. Nova 2 Lite costs $0.30/M input and $2.50/M output via bedrock.

What are the context window sizes for Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite?

Gemini 3.6 Flash supports 1.0M tokens and Nova 2 Lite 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 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 1.0M), input pricing ($1.50 vs $0.30/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemini 3.6 Flash and Nova 2 Lite?

Gemini 3.6 Flash is developed by Google and Nova 2 Lite is developed by Amazon.

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