API cost decision in 10 seconds

🔥Gemini 3 Flash Preview vs GPT-5 Nano

Pick GPT-5 Nano for lower cost; pick Gemini 3 Flash Preview only if the larger context window matters more.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick GPT-5 Nano for lower cost; pick Gemini 3 Flash Preview only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5 Nano is estimated at $0.25 vs $2 for Gemini 3 Flash Preview, saving $1.75 (87.5% lower).

Cost-first pickGPT-5 Nano
Context-first pickGemini 3 Flash Preview
Sample savings$1.7587.5%
10x traffic gap$17.5

Gemini 3 Flash Preview has more context, but GPT-5 Nano saves $1.75 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $17.5. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

GPT-5 Nano stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickGemini 3 Flash PreviewGPT-5 Nano
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputGPT-5 Nano$4$0.45
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputGPT-5 Nano$3.5$0.45
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputGPT-5 Nano$15.5$2.05
Cheaper input GPT-5 Nano $0.5 vs $0.05 / 1M

GPT-5 Nano is $0.45 cheaper per 1M input tokens (90% lower; 10x difference).

Cheaper output GPT-5 Nano $3 vs $0.4 / 1M

GPT-5 Nano is $2.6 cheaper per 1M output tokens (86.7% lower; 7.5x difference).

Larger context Gemini 3 Flash Preview 1.05M vs 400K

Gemini 3 Flash Preview has 648.58K more context (2.62x larger).

Sample workload GPT-5 Nano $2 vs $0.25

GPT-5 Nano is $1.75 cheaper on the standard workload (87.5% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
Gemini 3 Flash Preview Calculating… Estimated API cost
GPT-5 Nano Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

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

Verdict

GPT-5 Nano has the lower input price; GPT-5 Nano has the lower output price; Gemini 3 Flash Preview offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GPT-5 Nano is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $2 for Gemini 3 Flash Preview and $0.25 for GPT-5 Nano.

Best Fit

Choose Gemini 3 Flash Preview when you care most about larger context window.

Choose GPT-5 Nano when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5 Nano is estimated at $0.25 vs $2 for Gemini 3 Flash Preview, saving $1.75 (87.5% lower).
  • GPT-5 Nano is $1.75 cheaper on the standard workload (87.5% lower).
  • GPT-5 Nano is $0.45 cheaper per 1M input tokens (90% lower; 10x difference).
  • GPT-5 Nano is $2.6 cheaper per 1M output tokens (86.7% lower; 7.5x difference).
  • Gemini 3 Flash Preview has 648.58K more context (2.62x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
Feature🔥Gemini 3 Flash Preview
(Google)		GPT-5 Nano
(OpenAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$0.5$0.05
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$3$0.4
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$2$0.25
Context Window1.05M400K
Release Date
Popularity#7#68

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionGPT-5 NanoOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GPT-5 Nano is estimated at $0.25 vs $2 for Gemini 3 Flash Preview, saving $1.75 (87.5% lower).
High-volume input processingGPT-5 NanoLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsGPT-5 NanoLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGemini 3 Flash PreviewA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • Gemma 4 31B (free) can replace Gemini 3 Flash Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Gemma 4 26B A4B (free) can replace Gemini 3 Flash Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Lyria 3 Clip Preview can replace Gemini 3 Flash Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Lyria 3 Pro Preview can replace Gemini 3 Flash Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
Larger context near this budget
  • Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 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.

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

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Larger context alternatives

Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.

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Provider catalogs

Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.

Open provider hubs

Google catalog

Review all tracked Google models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

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OpenAI catalog

Check other OpenAI models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.

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Gemini 3 Flash Preview

Gemini 3 Flash Preview is a high speed, high value thinking model designed for agentic workflows, multi turn chat, and coding assistance. It delivers near Pro level reasoning and tool...

GPT-5 Nano

GPT-5-Nano is the smallest and fastest variant in the GPT-5 system, optimized for developer tools, rapid interactions, and ultra-low latency environments. While limited in reasoning depth compared to its larger...