Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview (Google) and Gemma 3 12B (Google) compared on the ModelCap Index, API price, context window, provider availability, weight access and every public benchmark board they share. Figures are the same ones shown on the live rankings; nothing here is a hidden score.
Snapshot as of 6 November 2026
As of 6 November 2026, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview holds the stronger ModelCap Index position (#10 vs #193); Gemma 3 12B is 80× cheaper per output token ($0.15/1M vs $12.00/1M); and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview offers the longer context window (1M vs 131K tokens).
Evidence: 3 public benchmark observations across 3 boards · 2 public benchmark observations across 2 boards. Prices are the lowest listed API offer per million tokens observed on the OpenRouter catalogue.
Benchmark scores: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview vs Gemma 3 12B
Public benchmark boards where Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview or Gemma 3 12B has a published result
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview vs Gemma 3 12B: common questions
Is Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview better than Gemma 3 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview ranks higher on the ModelCap Index as of 6 November 2026: #10 against #193. That is a capability ranking built from public benchmark evidence with published uncertainty; whether it is "better" for you also depends on price, context and where you can run it. Their published uncertainty intervals do not overlap, but the aggregate Index does not predict performance on every task; compare the relevant benchmark configurations before choosing.
Is Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview cheaper than Gemma 3 12B?
Gemma 3 12B is cheaper on output tokens: $0.15/1M against $12.00/1M. Input tokens are $2.00/1M for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview and $0.05/1M for Gemma 3 12B. Prices are the lowest listed API offer ModelCap observed, in USD per million tokens. For 1,000 requests with 2,000 input and 500 output tokens each (2M input + 0.5M output), the listed-rate estimate is $10.00 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview versus $0.17 for Gemma 3 12B. Gemma 3 12B costs 98.3% less in this scenario. This excludes caching, batch discounts, prompt-length tiers, tool charges and retries; verify the selected endpoint before budgeting.
Which has the bigger context window, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview or Gemma 3 12B?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has the larger context window: 1M tokens against 131K. OpenRouter catalogue or provider-endpoint declaration. Limits can vary by provider and prompt length; a model-wide maximum has not been independently verified.
Which is better for coding, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview or Gemma 3 12B?
Arena coding: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 1521, Gemma 3 12B 1316 — Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview leads.
Are Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview and Gemma 3 12B open-weight models?
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview: No linked weights. Gemma 3 12B: Gated access. Open weights mean the checkpoint can be downloaded and self-hosted under its licence. A missing weight link does not identify every API or chat product that offers a model.
Where can I run Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview and Gemma 3 12B?
ModelCap currently lists 2 API providers for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview and 2 for Gemma 3 12B, from the OpenRouter catalogue snapshot the site serves; each model page lists the providers and their prices.
How current is this Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview vs Gemma 3 12B comparison?
Every figure and ModelCap Index position comes from the same published snapshot dated 6 November 2026. Publication and page updates happen separately; use the snapshot date shown on the page.