Model Comparison
Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs LongCat-Flash-ThinkingWhich is better in 2026?
Gemma 4 26B-A4B has a slight edge in benchmark performance. Gemma 4 26B-A4B is 2.7x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs LongCat-Flash-Thinking — which is better?
Gemma 4 26B-A4B (by Google) and LongCat-Flash-Thinking (by Meituan) 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 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while LongCat-Flash-Thinking is better at 0 benchmarks. Gemma 4 26B-A4B has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
On price, Gemma 4 26B-A4B is roughly 2.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B also accepts a larger context window (262,144 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 4 26B-A4B if…
- cost matters — it's about 2.7x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 262,144 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2026
Choose LongCat-Flash-Thinking if…
- you want predictable pricing at $0.30/M input and $1.20/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 4 26B-A4B outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while LongCat-Flash-Thinking is better at 0 benchmarks.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 4 26B-A4B ($0.13/1M tokens) is 2.3x cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Thinking ($0.30/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 4 26B-A4B ($0.40/1M tokens) is 3.0x cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Thinking ($1.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, LongCat-Flash-Thinking is more expensive than Gemma 4 26B-A4B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
LongCat-Flash-Thinking has 534.8B more parameters than Gemma 4 26B-A4B, making it 2122.2% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemma 4 26B-A4B accepts 262,144 input tokens compared to LongCat-Flash-Thinking's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 4 26B-A4B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while LongCat-Flash-Thinking is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 4 26B-A4B supports multimodal inputs, whereas LongCat-Flash-Thinking does not.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B
LongCat-Flash-Thinking
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 4 26B-A4B is licensed under Apache 2.0, while LongCat-Flash-Thinking uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Apache 2.0
Open weights
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 4 26B-A4B was released on 2026-04-02, while LongCat-Flash-Thinking was released on 2025-09-22.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B is 6 months newer than LongCat-Flash-Thinking.
Apr 2, 2026
3 months ago
6mo newerSep 22, 2025
10 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemma 4 26B-A4B has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2025-01-01, while LongCat-Flash-Thinking'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 LongCat-Flash-Thinking's cutoff date.
Jan 2025
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Provider Availability
Gemma 4 26B-A4B is available from Novita. LongCat-Flash-Thinking is available from Meituan.
Gemma 4 26B-A4B
LongCat-Flash-Thinking
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 4 26B-A4B and LongCat-Flash-Thinking side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 4 26B-A4B vs LongCat-Flash-Thinking.