Model Comparison

GPT-4o vs Gemma 3 12BWhich is better in 2026?

GPT-4o significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 70.0x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GPT-4o vs Gemma 3 12B — which is better?

GPT-4o (by OpenAI) and Gemma 3 12B (by Google) 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.

GPT-4o outperforms in 6 benchmarks (AI2D, ChartQA, DocVQA, GPQA, MMLU-Pro, SimpleQA), while Gemma 3 12B is better at 1 benchmark (IFEval). GPT-4o significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 70.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Gemma 3 12B also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GPT-4o if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 6 of 7 shared benchmarks

Choose Gemma 3 12B if…

  • cost matters — it's about 70.0x 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
Want to compare interactively?Try the playground

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

7 benchmarks

GPT-4o outperforms in 6 benchmarks (AI2D, ChartQA, DocVQA, GPQA, MMLU-Pro, SimpleQA), while Gemma 3 12B is better at 1 benchmark (IFEval).

GPT-4o significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Gemma 3 12B costs less

For input processing, GPT-4o ($2.50/1M tokens) is 50.0x more expensive than Gemma 3 12B ($0.05/1M tokens).

For output processing, GPT-4o ($10.00/1M tokens) is 100.0x more expensive than Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4o is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com
OpenAI
GPT-4o
Input tokens$2.50
Output tokens$10.00
Best providerAzure
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input tokens$0.05
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerDeepinfra
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Gemma 3 12B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4o's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4o is limited to 16,384 tokens.

OpenAI
GPT-4o
Input128,000 tokens
Output16,384 tokens
Google
Gemma 3 12B
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Thu Jun 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both GPT-4o and Gemma 3 12B support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

GPT-4o

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Gemma 3 12B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GPT-4o is licensed under a proprietary license, while Gemma 3 12B uses Gemma.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

GPT-4o

Proprietary

Closed source

Gemma 3 12B

Gemma

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GPT-4o was released on 2024-08-06, while Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12.

Gemma 3 12B is 7 months newer than GPT-4o.

GPT-4o

Aug 6, 2024

1.9 years ago

Gemma 3 12B

Mar 12, 2025

1.3 years ago

7mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Provider Availability

GPT-4o is available from Azure, OpenAI. Gemma 3 12B is available from DeepInfra.

GPT-4o

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M
openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M

Gemma 3 12B

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.05/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.10/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

OpenAI
Higher AI2D score (94.2% vs 84.2%)
Higher ChartQA score (85.7% vs 75.7%)
Higher DocVQA score (92.8% vs 87.1%)
Higher GPQA score (70.1% vs 40.9%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (74.7% vs 60.6%)
Higher SimpleQA score (38.2% vs 6.3%)
Google
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
Higher IFEval score (88.9% vs 81.0%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
OpenAI
GPT-4o
Google
Gemma 3 12B

FAQ

Common questions about GPT-4o vs Gemma 3 12B.

Which is better, GPT-4o or Gemma 3 12B?

GPT-4o significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o is made by OpenAI and Gemma 3 12B is made by Google. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GPT-4o compare to Gemma 3 12B in benchmarks?

GPT-4o scores AI2D: 94.2%, DocVQA: 92.8%, ChartQA: 85.7%, MMLU: 85.7%, CharXiv-D: 85.3%. Gemma 3 12B scores GSM8k: 94.4%, IFEval: 88.9%, DocVQA: 87.1%, BIG-Bench Hard: 85.7%, HumanEval: 85.4%.

Is GPT-4o cheaper than Gemma 3 12B?

Gemma 3 12B is 50.0x cheaper for input tokens. GPT-4o costs $2.50/M input and $10.00/M output via azure. Gemma 3 12B costs $0.05/M input and $0.10/M output via deepinfra.

What are the context window sizes for GPT-4o and Gemma 3 12B?

GPT-4o supports 128K tokens and Gemma 3 12B supports 131K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GPT-4o and Gemma 3 12B?

Key differences include context window (128K vs 131K), input pricing ($2.50 vs $0.05/M), licensing (Proprietary vs Gemma). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GPT-4o and Gemma 3 12B?

GPT-4o is developed by OpenAI and Gemma 3 12B is developed by Google.

Related comparisons