Model Comparison

Gemma 3 12B vs Grok-4.1 Fast ReasoningWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning — which is better?

Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning (by xAI) 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, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 4.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning also accepts a larger context window (2,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemma 3 12B if…

  • cost matters — it's about 4.4x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 2,000,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoningdon'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

Gemma 3 12B costs less

For input processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.05/1M tokens) is 4.0x cheaper than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning ($0.20/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 5.0x cheaper than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning ($0.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Thu Jun 11 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input tokens$0.05
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerDeepinfra
xAI
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning
Input tokens$0.20
Output tokens$0.50
Best providerxAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning accepts 2,000,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 3 12B's 131,072 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is limited to 30,000 tokens.

Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
xAI
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning
Input2,000,000 tokens
Output30,000 tokens
Thu Jun 11 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning support multimodal inputs.

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

Gemma 3 12B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Gemma 3 12B is licensed under Gemma, while Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

Gemma 3 12B

Gemma

Open weights

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12, while Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning was released on 2025-11-17.

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is 8 months newer than Gemma 3 12B.

Gemma 3 12B

Mar 12, 2025

1.2 years ago

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning

Nov 17, 2025

6 months ago

8mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Provider Availability

Gemma 3 12B is available from DeepInfra. Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is available from xAI.

Gemma 3 12B

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.05/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.10/1M

Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $0.20/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.50/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

Google
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
xAI
Larger context window (2,000,000 tokens)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemma 3 12B
xAI
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning

FAQ

Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning.

Which is better, Gemma 3 12B or Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning?

Gemma 3 12B (Google) and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning (xAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does Gemma 3 12B compare to Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning in benchmarks?

Gemma 3 12B scores GSM8k: 94.4%, IFEval: 88.9%, DocVQA: 87.1%, BIG-Bench Hard: 85.7%, HumanEval: 85.4%.

Is Gemma 3 12B cheaper than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning?

Gemma 3 12B is 4.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemma 3 12B costs $0.05/M input and $0.10/M output via deepinfra. Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning costs $0.20/M input and $0.50/M output via xai.

What are the context window sizes for Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning?

Gemma 3 12B supports 131K tokens and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning supports 2.0M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 2.0M), input pricing ($0.05 vs $0.20/M), licensing (Gemma vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemma 3 12B and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning?

Gemma 3 12B is developed by Google and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is developed by xAI.

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