Model Comparison
Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs Grok 4.5Which is better in 2026?
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 4 26B-A4B is 15.2x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs Grok 4.5 — which is better?
Gemma 4 26B-A4B (by Google) and Grok 4.5 (by xAI) 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 4 26B-A4B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 4 26B-A4B is roughly 15.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok 4.5 also accepts a larger context window (500,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 4 26B-A4B if…
- cost matters — it's about 15.2x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Grok 4.5 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 500,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 4 26B-A4B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok 4.5 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).
Grok 4.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 4 26B-A4B ($0.13/1M tokens) is 15.4x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 4 26B-A4B ($0.40/1M tokens) is 15.0x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.5 is more expensive than Gemma 4 26B-A4B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok 4.5 accepts 500,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 4 26B-A4B's 262,144 tokens. Only Gemma 4 26B-A4B specifies output context (131,072 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemma 4 26B-A4B and Grok 4.5 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B
Grok 4.5
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 4 26B-A4B is licensed under Apache 2.0, while Grok 4.5 uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 4 26B-A4B was released on 2026-04-02, while Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-08.
Grok 4.5 is 3 months newer than Gemma 4 26B-A4B.
Apr 2, 2026
3 months ago
Jul 8, 2026
1 weeks ago
3mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemma 4 26B-A4B has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2025-01-01, while Grok 4.5's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Gemma 4 26B-A4B's training data extends to 2025-01-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without Grok 4.5's cutoff date.
Jan 2025
—
Provider Availability
Gemma 4 26B-A4B is available from Novita. Grok 4.5 is available from xAI.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B
Grok 4.5
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 4 26B-A4B and Grok 4.5 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
| Feature | | |
|---|
FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs Grok 4.5.