Palmyra X5 is $0.9 cheaper per 1M input tokens (60% lower; 2.5x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
NewGemini 3.5 Flash vs Palmyra X5
Pick Palmyra X5 for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.5 Flash only if the larger context window matters more.
Budget verdict
Pick Palmyra X5 for lower cost; pick Gemini 3.5 Flash only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Palmyra X5 is estimated at $3.6 vs $6 for Gemini 3.5 Flash, saving $2.4 (40% lower).
Gemini 3.5 Flash has more context, but Palmyra X5 saves $2.4 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $24. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Palmyra X5 stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Gemini 3.5 Flash | Palmyra X5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Palmyra X5 | $12 | $6 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | Palmyra X5 | $10.5 | $6.6 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | Palmyra X5 | $46.5 | $30.6 |
Palmyra X5 is $3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (33.3% lower; 1.5x difference).
Gemini 3.5 Flash has 8.58K more context (1.01x larger).
Palmyra X5 is $2.4 cheaper on the standard workload (40% lower).
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
Palmyra X5 has the lower input price; Palmyra X5 has the lower output price; Gemini 3.5 Flash offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Palmyra X5 is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $6 for Gemini 3.5 Flash and $3.6 for Palmyra X5.
Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash when you care most about larger context window.
Choose Palmyra X5 when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Palmyra X5 is estimated at $3.6 vs $6 for Gemini 3.5 Flash, saving $2.4 (40% lower).
- Palmyra X5 is $2.4 cheaper on the standard workload (40% lower).
- Palmyra X5 is $0.9 cheaper per 1M input tokens (60% lower; 2.5x difference).
- Palmyra X5 is $3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (33.3% lower; 1.5x difference).
- Gemini 3.5 Flash has 8.58K more context (1.01x larger).
| Feature | NewGemini 3.5 Flash (Google) | Palmyra X5 (Writer) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $1.5 | $0.6 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $9 | $6 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $6 | $3.6 |
| Context Window | 1.05M | 1.04M |
| Release Date |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | Palmyra X5 | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Palmyra X5 is estimated at $3.6 vs $6 for Gemini 3.5 Flash, saving $2.4 (40% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | Palmyra X5 | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | Palmyra X5 | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Gemini 3.5 Flash | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Gemma 4 26B A4B (free) can replace Gemini 3.5 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Gemma 4 31B (free) can replace Gemini 3.5 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Lyria 3 Pro Preview can replace Gemini 3.5 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Lyria 3 Clip Preview can replace Gemini 3.5 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 sample workload cost.
- Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent offers 2M context with $5 sample workload cost.
- Grok 4.20 offers 2M context with $2.5 sample workload cost.
- Owl Alpha offers 1.05M context with $0 sample workload cost.
- No popular competitor is currently available.
Cheaper alternatives
Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.
Open cheapest modelsLarger context alternatives
Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.
Open largest context modelsProvider catalogs
Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.
Open provider hubsGoogle catalog
Review all tracked Google models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.
Open Google modelsWriter catalog
Check other Writer models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.
Open Writer modelsGemini 3.5 Flash is Google's high-efficiency multimodal model, bringing near-Pro level coding and reasoning at Flash-tier cost and speed. It is highly optimized for coding proficiency and parallel agentic execution...
Palmyra X5 is Writer's most advanced model, purpose-built for building and scaling AI agents across the enterprise. It delivers industry-leading speed and efficiency on context windows up to 1 million...