Model Comparison
Gemma 3 12B vs Nova LiteWhich is better in 2026?
Nova Lite shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 1.7x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs Nova Lite — which is better?
Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and Nova 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.
Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MATH), while Nova Lite is better at 6 benchmarks (ChartQA, DocVQA, GPQA, GSM8k, IFEval, TextVQA). Nova Lite shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 1.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Nova Lite also accepts a larger context window (300,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 3 12B if…
- cost matters — it's about 1.7x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Nova Lite if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 7 of 8 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 300,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MATH), while Nova Lite is better at 6 benchmarks (ChartQA, DocVQA, GPQA, GSM8k, IFEval, TextVQA).
Nova Lite shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.05/1M tokens) is 1.2x cheaper than Nova Lite ($0.06/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 2.4x cheaper than Nova Lite ($0.24/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Nova Lite is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Nova Lite accepts 300,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 3 12B's 131,072 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Nova Lite is limited to 2,048 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemma 3 12B and Nova Lite support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemma 3 12B
Nova Lite
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 12B is licensed under Gemma, while Nova Lite uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Gemma
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12, while Nova Lite was released on 2024-11-20.
Gemma 3 12B is 4 months newer than Nova Lite.
Mar 12, 2025
1.3 years ago
3mo newerNov 20, 2024
1.6 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
Gemma 3 12B is available from DeepInfra. Nova Lite is available from Bedrock.
Gemma 3 12B
Nova Lite
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Gemma 3 12B
View detailsNova Lite
View detailsAmazon
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs Nova Lite.