Model Comparison
Gemma 3 12B vs o1-miniWhich is better in 2026?
o1-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 84.0x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs o1-mini — which is better?
Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and o1-mini (by OpenAI) 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 o1-mini is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval). o1-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 84.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 3 12B also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 3 12B if…
- cost matters — it's about 84.0x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose o1-mini if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while o1-mini is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval).
o1-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.05/1M tokens) is 60.0x cheaper than o1-mini ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 120.0x cheaper than o1-mini ($12.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o1-mini 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
Gemma 3 12B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to o1-mini's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while o1-mini is limited to 65,536 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 3 12B supports multimodal inputs, whereas o1-mini does not.
Gemma 3 12B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 3 12B
o1-mini
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 12B is licensed under Gemma, while o1-mini 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 o1-mini was released on 2024-09-12.
Gemma 3 12B is 6 months newer than o1-mini.
Mar 12, 2025
1.3 years ago
6mo newerSep 12, 2024
1.8 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. o1-mini is available from OpenAI, Azure.
Gemma 3 12B
o1-mini
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Gemma 3 12B
View detailso1-mini
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 12B and o1-mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs o1-mini.