Gemma 3 27B is $0.02 cheaper per 1M input tokens (20% lower; 1.25x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
Gemma 3 27B vs GLM 4 32B
Pick GLM 4 32B for lower cost; pick Gemma 3 27B only if the larger context window matters more.
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Data confirmed:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
Pick GLM 4 32B for lower cost; pick Gemma 3 27B only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4 32B is estimated at $0.15 vs $0.16 for Gemma 3 27B, saving $0.01 (6.2% lower).
Cost-first pickGLM 4 32B
Context-first pickGemma 3 27B
Sample savings$0.016.2%
10x traffic gap$0.1
Gemma 3 27B has more context, but GLM 4 32B saves $0.01 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $0.1. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors Gemma 3 27B, balanced workload favors GLM 4 32B, and output-heavy chatbot favors GLM 4 32B.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Gemma 3 27B | GLM 4 32B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Gemma 3 27B | $0.48 | $0.55 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | GLM 4 32B | $0.24 | $0.2 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | GLM 4 32B | $0.88 | $0.6 |
GLM 4 32B is $0.06 cheaper per 1M output tokens (37.5% lower; 1.6x difference).
Gemma 3 27B has 3.07K more context (1.02x larger).
GLM 4 32B is $0.01 cheaper on the standard workload (6.2% 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
Gemma 3 27B has the lower input price; GLM 4 32B has the lower output price; Gemma 3 27B offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GLM 4 32B is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.16 for Gemma 3 27B and $0.15 for GLM 4 32B.
Choose Gemma 3 27B when you care most about lower input-token price, and larger context window.
Choose GLM 4 32B when you care most about lower output-token price.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4 32B is estimated at $0.15 vs $0.16 for Gemma 3 27B, saving $0.01 (6.2% lower).
- GLM 4 32B is $0.01 cheaper on the standard workload (6.2% lower).
- Gemma 3 27B is $0.02 cheaper per 1M input tokens (20% lower; 1.25x difference).
- GLM 4 32B is $0.06 cheaper per 1M output tokens (37.5% lower; 1.6x difference).
- Gemma 3 27B has 3.07K more context (1.02x larger).
| Feature | Gemma 3 27B (Google) | GLM 4 32B (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.08 | $0.1 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $0.16 | $0.1 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $0.16 | $0.15 |
| Context Window | 131.07K | 128K |
| Release Date | ||
| Popularity | #86 | #147 |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | GLM 4 32B | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4 32B is estimated at $0.15 vs $0.16 for Gemma 3 27B, saving $0.01 (6.2% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | Gemma 3 27B | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | GLM 4 32B | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Gemma 3 27B | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Gemma 4 31B (free) can replace Gemma 3 27B when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B (free) can replace Gemma 3 27B when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Lyria 3 Clip Preview can replace Gemma 3 27B when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Lyria 3 Pro Preview can replace Gemma 3 27B when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Owl Alpha offers 1.05M context with $0 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash offers 1.05M context with $0.2 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) offers 1.05M context with $0 sample workload cost.
- Lyria 3 Clip Preview offers 1.05M context with $0 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash · DeepSeek · #1
- Hy3 preview · Tencent · #2
- Claude Opus 4.7 · Anthropic · #3
- Claude Sonnet 4.6 · Anthropic · #4
Cheaper alternatives
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