API cost decision in 10 seconds
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools vs Granite 4.0 Micro
Pick Granite 4.0 Micro for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools only if the larger context window matters more.
Pricing data updated:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
Pick Granite 4.0 Micro for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Granite 4.0 Micro is estimated at $0.07 vs $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools, saving $7.93 (99.1% lower).
Cost-first pickGranite 4.0 Micro
Context-first pickGemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools
Sample savings$7.9399.1%
10x traffic gap$79.27
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools has more context, but Granite 4.0 Micro saves $7.93 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $79.27. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Granite 4.0 Micro stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools | Granite 4.0 Micro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Granite 4.0 Micro | $16 | $0.14 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | Granite 4.0 Micro | $14 | $0.13 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | Granite 4.0 Micro | $62 | $0.58 |
Estimate your workload cost
Your Workload Cost
This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.
Quick Decision
Granite 4.0 Micro has the lower input price, Granite 4.0 Micro has the lower output price, and Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools offers the larger context window.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools and $0.07 for Granite 4.0 Micro.
Choose Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools when you care most about larger context window.
Choose Granite 4.0 Micro when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.
| Feature | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools (Google) | Granite 4.0 Micro (IBM) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $2 | $0.02 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $12 | $0.11 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $8 | $0.07 |
| Context Window | 1.05M | 131K |
| Release Date | 2026-02-25 | 2025-10-20 |
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Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | Granite 4.0 Micro | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Granite 4.0 Micro is estimated at $0.07 vs $8 for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools, saving $7.93 (99.1% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | Granite 4.0 Micro | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts or retrieved passages dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | Granite 4.0 Micro | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview Custom Tools | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages and source files. |