text model comparison
Gemini 3.5 Flash vs Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Gemini 3.5 Flash and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite are both current text models, from Google. On Arena Text, Gemini 3.5 Flash scores 1478 Elo and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite 1455 Elo (Arena, measured October 8, 2026). Both accept 1,048,576 tokens of context.
Data verified October 12, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-12
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | Gemini 3.5 Flash | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M input tokens | Not reported | $0.30 |
| Price per 1M output tokens | Not reported | $2.50 |
| Arena Text | 1478 Elo (#16 of 39) (better) | 1455 Elo (#27 of 39) |
| GPQA Diamond | 92.8% (#16 of 37) (better) | 83.3% (#32 of 37) |
| FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) | 62.8% (#25 of 37) (better) | 26% (#34 of 37) |
| SimpleQA Verified | 66.2% (#11 of 34) | Not measured |
| LiveBench Overall | 74.64 points (#5 of 5) | Not measured |
| Provider | ||
| Release date | May 19, 2026 | July 21, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Max output | 65,536 tokens | 65,536 tokens |
| Input | text, image, audio, video | text, image, audio, video |
| Output | text | text |
Scores:Arena · 2026-10-12Epoch AI · 2026-10-12LiveBench · 2026-06-25
When to choose each
Gemini 3.5 Flash
Best for
- Long-context multimodal and agentic evaluations
Watch out for
- Exact current token prices are not represented because the approved source set does not establish a single untiered rate
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Best for
- High-volume extraction, structured parsing, and cost-sensitive subagent trials
Watch out for
- The represented prices are standard API rates; batch, flex, and priority consumption use different rates
Gemini 3.5 Flash vs Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite FAQ
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, Gemini 3.5 Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Gemini 3.5 Flash leads on Arena Text, 1478 Elo to 1455 Elo; Gemini 3.5 Flash leads on GPQA Diamond, 92.8% to 83.3%; Gemini 3.5 Flash leads on FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2), 62.8% to 26%. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Which has the larger context window, Gemini 3.5 Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Both accept 1,048,576 tokens of context.
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Production evaluation
Choosing between Gemini 3.5 Flash and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
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