Model Comparison

Gemma 3 12B vs o3-proWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Gemma 3 12B and o3-pro across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs o3-pro — which is better?

Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and o3-pro (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.

On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 560.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

o3-pro also accepts a larger context window (200,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemma 3 12B if…

  • cost matters — it's about 560.0x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose o3-pro if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jun 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Gemma 3 12B and o3-prodon'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 400.0x cheaper than o3-pro ($20.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 800.0x cheaper than o3-pro ($80.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, o3-pro is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jun 16 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input tokens$0.05
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerDeepinfra
OpenAI
o3-pro
Input tokens$20.00
Output tokens$80.00
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

o3-pro accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 3 12B's 131,072 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while o3-pro is limited to 100,000 tokens.

Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
OpenAI
o3-pro
Input200,000 tokens
Output100,000 tokens
Tue Jun 16 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemma 3 12B and o3-pro support multimodal inputs.

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

Gemma 3 12B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

o3-pro

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Gemma 3 12B is licensed under Gemma, while o3-pro 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

o3-pro

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12, while o3-pro was released on 2025-06-10.

o3-pro is 3 months newer than Gemma 3 12B.

Gemma 3 12B

Mar 12, 2025

1.3 years ago

o3-pro

Jun 10, 2025

1.0 years ago

3mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

o3-pro has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while Gemma 3 12B's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm o3-pro's training data extends to 2024-05-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without Gemma 3 12B's cutoff date.

Gemma 3 12B

—

o3-pro

May 2024

Provider Availability

Gemma 3 12B is available from DeepInfra. o3-pro is available from OpenAI.

Gemma 3 12B

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

o3-pro

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $20.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $80.00/1M
* 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
Has open weights
OpenAI
Larger context window (200,000 tokens)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemma 3 12B
OpenAI
o3-pro

FAQ

Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs o3-pro.

Which is better, Gemma 3 12B or o3-pro?

Gemma 3 12B (Google) and o3-pro (OpenAI) 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 o3-pro 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 o3-pro?

Gemma 3 12B is 400.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemma 3 12B costs $0.05/M input and $0.10/M output via deepinfra. o3-pro costs $20.00/M input and $80.00/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for Gemma 3 12B and o3-pro?

Gemma 3 12B supports 131K tokens and o3-pro supports 200K 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 o3-pro?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 200K), input pricing ($0.05 vs $20.00/M), licensing (Gemma vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemma 3 12B and o3-pro?

Gemma 3 12B is developed by Google and o3-pro is developed by OpenAI.

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