Model Comparison

Gemma 3 12B vs Kimi K3Which is better in 2026?

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 96.0x cheaper per token.

Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs Kimi K3 — which is better?

Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and Kimi K3 (by Moonshot AI) 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.

Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K3 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 96.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Kimi K3 also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemma 3 12B if…

  • cost matters — it's about 96.0x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Kimi K3 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

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K3 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

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 60.0x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($3.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 150.0x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Kimi K3 is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input tokens$0.05
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerDeepinfra
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerUnknown Organization
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

2788.0B diff

Kimi K3 has 2788.0B more parameters than Gemma 3 12B, making it 23233.3% larger.

Google
Gemma 3 12B
12.0Bparameters
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
2.8Tparameters
12.0B
Gemma 3 12B
2800.0B
Kimi K3

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Kimi K3 accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Gemma 3 12B's 131,072 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Gemma 3 12B is limited to 131,072 tokens.

Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output1,048,576 tokens
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemma 3 12B and Kimi K3 support multimodal inputs.

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

Gemma 3 12B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Kimi K3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12, while Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16.

Kimi K3 is 16 months newer than Gemma 3 12B.

Gemma 3 12B

Mar 12, 2025

1.4 years ago

Kimi K3

Jul 16, 2026

4 days ago

1.3yr 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. Kimi K3 is available from Moonshot AI.

Gemma 3 12B

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

Kimi K3

moonshot logo
Unknown Organization
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Google
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Moonshot AI
Larger context window (1,048,576 tokens)
Higher GPQA score (93.5% vs 40.9%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 12B and Kimi K3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Gemma 3 12B
✓ Preferred
Kimi K3
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3

FAQ

Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs Kimi K3.

Which is better, Gemma 3 12B or Kimi K3?

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is made by Google and Kimi K3 is made by Moonshot AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does Gemma 3 12B compare to Kimi K3 in benchmarks?

Gemma 3 12B scores GSM8k: 94.4%, IFEval: 88.9%, DocVQA: 87.1%, BIG-Bench Hard: 85.7%, HumanEval: 85.4%. Kimi K3 scores MathVision: 97.8%, DeepSearchQA: 95.0%, GPQA: 93.5%, CharXiv-R: 91.3%, BrowseComp: 91.2%.

Is Gemma 3 12B cheaper than Kimi K3?

Gemma 3 12B is 60.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemma 3 12B costs $0.05/M input and $0.10/M output via deepinfra. Kimi K3 costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via moonshot.

What are the context window sizes for Gemma 3 12B and Kimi K3?

Gemma 3 12B supports 131K tokens and Kimi K3 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 Gemma 3 12B and Kimi K3?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 1.0M), input pricing ($0.05 vs $3.00/M), licensing (Gemma vs Unknown). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemma 3 12B and Kimi K3?

Gemma 3 12B is developed by Google and Kimi K3 is developed by Moonshot AI.

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