text model comparison
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs LongCat-2.5
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5 are both current text models, from Google and Meituan. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is 17% cheaper per 1M input tokens than LongCat-2.5, $0.25 vs $0.30. Both accept 1,048,576 tokens of context.
- Lower price per 1M input tokens
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$0.25 against $0.30
- Newer release
- LongCat-2.5Nov 2026 against May 2026
Data verified November 3, 2026 · Dataset 2026-11-03
Side by side
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5, line by line
Prices in effect today, compared at the same tier wherever both list one. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | LongCat-2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price per 1M input tokens | $0.25 (better) | $0.30 |
| Price per 1M output tokens | $1.50 | $1.20 (better) |
| Independent benchmarks | ||
| FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) | 27.7% (#39 of 42) | Not measured |
| GPQA Diamond | 81.8% (#37 of 41) | Not measured |
| Specs | ||
| Provider | Meituan | |
| Release date | May 7, 2026 | November 2, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Max output | 65,536 tokens | 262,144 tokens |
| Input | text, image, audio, video | text, image, video |
| Output | text | text |
No independent benchmark has scored both models yet. Each rank counts the current models scored on that benchmark.
Scores:Epoch AI · 2026-11-03
Charts
Against every current text model
Where Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5 land among the current models of their task, on every independent benchmark, on price and on context.
Where each stands
Only Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has a current FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) score: #39 of 42. Each bar is the share of current models it beats.
Independent benchmarks
FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2)
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite:#39of 42
27.7% · ahead of 7%
LongCat-2.5: Not scored
GPQA Diamond
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite:#37of 41
81.8% · ahead of 10%
LongCat-2.5: Not scored
Price and context
Price per 1M input tokens
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite:#10of 52
$0.25 · cheaper than 82%
LongCat-2.5:#11of 52
$0.30 · cheaper than 75%
Price per 1M output tokens
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite:#14of 52
$1.50 · cheaper than 75%
LongCat-2.5:#10of 52
$1.20 · cheaper than 76%
Context window
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite:#11of 64
1.05M tokens · longer than 67%
LongCat-2.5:#11of 64
1.05M tokens · longer than 67%
Cost
What each costs
Example workloads at each provider's listed rates, then every other rate either one lists. The cheaper figure in each row is highlighted.
The same work, priced
For 10M input and 2M output tokens, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs 1.0 times as much as LongCat-2.5, at each provider's listed rates.
10M input and 2M output tokens
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs 1.0× as much
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
- $5.50
- LongCat-2.5
- $5.40
The same, with 9M of the input tokens cached
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs 1.3× as much
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
- $3.48
- LongCat-2.5
- $2.75
| Workload or rate | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | LongCat-2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Example workloads | ||
| 10M input and 2M output tokens | $5.50 | $5.40 (better) |
| The same, with 9M of the input tokens cached | $3.48 | $2.75 (better) |
| Other listed rates | ||
| 1M input tokens, cached | $0.025 | $0.006 (better) |
| 1M input tokens, cached audio | $0.05 | Not listed |
| 1M input tokens, audio | $0.50 | Not listed |
Your own bill will differ. These figures use list prices and example workloads. The AI Model Cost Audit reviews your real usage, shortlists models that score as well for each task for less, and estimates the savings.
Launch price $100, regular price $150
Verdict
When to choose each
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
Where it leads
- Lower price per 1M input tokens, $0.25 vs $0.30
- Accepts audio input
Best for
- High-volume multimodal extraction and translation
Watch out for
- The published price for audio input differs from the listed text, image, and video input price
- Google's earliest published shutdown date is 2027-05-07; migrate to gemini-3.5-flash-lite.
LongCat-2.5
Where it leads
- Lower price per 1M output tokens, $1.20 vs $1.50
- Lower cost for 10M input and 2M output tokens, $5.40 vs $5.50
- Longer responses, up to 262,144 vs 65,536 output tokens
- Cheaper cached input, $0.006 vs $0.025 per 1M tokens
Best for
- Coding agents working through whole projects in Claude Code, Codex or similar harnesses
- Visual coding and design work that mixes screenshots or screen recordings with code
Watch out for
- The recorded rates are a limited-time discount: Meituan publishes no list price and no end date
- API only: no weights had been published when this record was made
- Released on 2 November 2026, so no independent benchmark score is recorded here yet
From benchmark to production
Building on Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or LongCat-2.5?
Public scores rarely hold on your own data. We test both models on your real tasks, then build the agent or pipeline around the one that wins.
AI Model Cost AuditLaunch price $100, regular price $150What the audit includes
FAQ
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite vs LongCat-2.5 FAQ
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or LongCat-2.5?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is 17% cheaper per 1M input tokens than LongCat-2.5, $0.25 vs $0.30. For 10M input and 2M output tokens, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $5.50 and LongCat-2.5 $5.40 at standard rates.
Which is cheaper with prompt caching, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or LongCat-2.5?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite charges $0.025 per 1M cached input tokens, 90% below its standard input rate, and LongCat-2.5 $0.006, 98% below. With 9M of 10M input tokens cached and 2M output tokens, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $3.48 and LongCat-2.5 $2.75.
Which has the larger context window, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite or LongCat-2.5?
Both accept 1,048,576 tokens of context. LongCat-2.5 returns up to 262,144 tokens per response, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite 65,536.
How do Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5 differ in features?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite takes text, image, audio and video input; LongCat-2.5 takes text, image and video.
Further reading
More on Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5
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Production evaluation
Choosing between Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite and LongCat-2.5?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty