Model Comparison
Gemma 3 27B vs Qwen3 MaxWhich is better in 2026?
Qwen3 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 27B is 13.0x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3 27B vs Qwen3 Max — which is better?
Gemma 3 27B (by Google) and Qwen3 Max (by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) 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 27B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3 Max is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Qwen3 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 27B is roughly 13.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Qwen3 Max also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 3 27B if…
- cost matters — it's about 13.0x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Qwen3 Max if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2025
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 27B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3 Max is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).
Qwen3 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3 27B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 5.0x cheaper than Qwen3 Max ($0.50/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 27B ($0.20/1M tokens) is 25.0x cheaper than Qwen3 Max ($5.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Qwen3 Max is more expensive than Gemma 3 27B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Qwen3 Max has 973.0B more parameters than Gemma 3 27B, making it 3603.7% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Qwen3 Max accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 3 27B's 131,072 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 131,072 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 3 27B supports multimodal inputs, whereas Qwen3 Max does not.
Gemma 3 27B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 3 27B
Qwen3 Max
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 27B is licensed under Gemma, while Qwen3 Max 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 Qwen3 Max was released on 2025-12-15.
Qwen3 Max is 9 months newer than Gemma 3 27B.
Mar 12, 2025
1.4 years ago
Dec 15, 2025
7 months ago
9mo newerKnowledge 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 27B is available from DeepInfra, Novita. Qwen3 Max is available from Novita.
Gemma 3 27B
Qwen3 Max
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Gemma 3 27B
View details
Qwen3 Max
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 27B and Qwen3 Max side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 27B vs Qwen3 Max.