Skip to content
ModelCap

Head-to-head comparison

gemma 2 9b it vs Gemma 3 4B

gemma 2 9b it (Google) and Gemma 3 4B (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, Gemma 3 4B holds the stronger ModelCap Index position (#255 vs #289).

Which should you choose?

Choose gemma 2 9b it if…

  • ModelCap publishes no field on which gemma 2 9b it leads Gemma 3 4B for this pair.

Choose Gemma 3 4B if…

  • you want the stronger overall ModelCap Index position — #255 against #289 (26.0 vs 19.7 points).
  • you want provider choice — 2 listed API providers against 0.
  • Arena text is your yardstick — 1303 against 1267.
  • Arena coding is your yardstick — 1273 against 1270.
  • you want the more recently listed model — Gemma 3 4B was listed 13 March 2025, gemma 2 9b it 24 June 2024.

gemma 2 9b it vs Gemma 3 4B: specs, pricing and context

Specification comparison of gemma 2 9b it and Gemma 3 4B
Fieldgemma 2 9b itGoogleGemma 3 4BGoogle
ModelCap Index position#289#255
Index score19.726.0
EvidenceMeasuredMeasured
Input price / 1M tokensUnlisted$0.05
Output price / 1M tokensUnlisted$0.10
Context window— tokens131K tokens
Declared route output cap-16K
API providers listed02
Weight accessGated accessGated access
Input modalitiesTextText, Image
First listed24 June 202413 March 2025
PublisherGoogleGoogle

Evidence: 2 public benchmark observations across 2 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: gemma 2 9b it vs Gemma 3 4B

Public benchmark boards where gemma 2 9b it or Gemma 3 4B has a published result
Boardgemma 2 9b itGemma 3 4BLeads
Arena textArena (LMArena)12671263–1271Not reported13031294–1313Not reportedGemma 3 4B
Arena codingArena (LMArena)12701262–127712731250–1297Gemma 3 4B
BFCL V4UC Berkeley (Gorilla)—19.6PromptOnly one result

Scores are the sources' own published figures for each model's best evaluated configuration; ModelCap never re-runs a benchmark.

Want a different pairing? Open the interactive comparison tool to swap either model for any current ranked language model.

gemma 2 9b it vs Gemma 3 4B: common questions

Is gemma 2 9b it better than Gemma 3 4B?

Gemma 3 4B ranks higher on the ModelCap Index as of 6 November 2026: #255 against #289. 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 overlap, so the rank difference alone does not establish a reliable capability advantage for your workload.

Is gemma 2 9b it cheaper than Gemma 3 4B?

At least one of the two has no listed API price on ModelCap right now, so no price comparison is made.

Which has the bigger context window, gemma 2 9b it or Gemma 3 4B?

gemma 2 9b it: context unknown. Gemma 3 4B: 131K-token context. 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, gemma 2 9b it or Gemma 3 4B?

Arena coding: gemma 2 9b it 1270, Gemma 3 4B 1273 — Gemma 3 4B leads.

Are gemma 2 9b it and Gemma 3 4B open-weight models?

gemma 2 9b it: Gated access. Gemma 3 4B: 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 gemma 2 9b it and Gemma 3 4B?

ModelCap currently lists 0 API providers for gemma 2 9b it and 2 for Gemma 3 4B, from the OpenRouter catalogue snapshot the site serves; each model page lists the providers and their prices.

How current is this gemma 2 9b it vs Gemma 3 4B 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.

Explore further