Gemma 3 27B vs Grok-3
Grok-3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 27B is 48.0x cheaper per token.
Google · xAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemma 3 27B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-3 is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench). Grok-3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 27B is roughly 48.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 3 27B also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemma 3 27B
- cost matters — it's about 48.0x 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 Grok-3
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 27B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-3 is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench).
Grok-3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3 27B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 30.0x cheaper than Grok-3 ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 27B ($0.20/1M tokens) is 75.0x cheaper than Grok-3 ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-3 is more expensive than Gemma 3 27B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemma 3 27B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Grok-3's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 27B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-3 is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemma 3 27B and Grok-3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemma 3 27B
Grok-3
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 27B is licensed under Gemma, while Grok-3 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 27B was released on 2025-03-12, while Grok-3 was released on 2025-02-17.
Gemma 3 27B is 1 month newer than Grok-3.
Mar 12, 2025
1.5 years ago
3w newerFeb 17, 2025
1.5 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok-3 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-11-17, while Gemma 3 27B's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Grok-3's training data extends to 2024-11-17, but cannot make a direct comparison without Gemma 3 27B's cutoff date.
—
Nov 2024
Provider Availability
Gemma 3 27B is available from DeepInfra, Novita. Grok-3 is available from xAI.
Gemma 3 27B
Grok-3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 27B and Grok-3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 27B vs Grok-3.