Model Comparison
Gemma 3 4B vs GPT-4o miniWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. Gemma 3 4B is 10.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3 4B vs GPT-4o mini — which is better?
Gemma 3 4B (by Google) and GPT-4o 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 4B outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MATH), while GPT-4o mini is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval). GPT-4o mini shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 4B is roughly 10.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 3 4B also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 3 4B if…
- cost matters — it's about 10.5x 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 GPT-4o mini if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 3 shared benchmarks
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 4B outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MATH), while GPT-4o mini is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, HumanEval).
GPT-4o mini 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 4B ($0.02/1M tokens) is 7.5x cheaper than GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 4B ($0.04/1M tokens) is 15.0x cheaper than GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4o mini is more expensive than Gemma 3 4B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemma 3 4B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4o mini's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 4B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4o mini is limited to 16,384 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemma 3 4B and GPT-4o mini support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemma 3 4B
GPT-4o mini
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 4B is licensed under Gemma, while GPT-4o 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 4B was released on 2025-03-12, while GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.
Gemma 3 4B is 8 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
Mar 12, 2025
1.2 years ago
7mo newerJul 18, 2024
1.9 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemma 3 4B has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-08-01, while GPT-4o mini has a cutoff of 2023-10-01.
Gemma 3 4B has more recent training data (up to 2024-08-01), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-4o mini (2023-10-01).
Aug 2024
10 mo newerOct 2023
Provider Availability
Gemma 3 4B is available from DeepInfra. GPT-4o mini is available from Azure.
Gemma 3 4B
GPT-4o mini
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Gemma 3 4B
View detailsGPT-4o mini
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 4B vs GPT-4o mini.