Gemini 3.5 Flash vs GPT-5 mini
The two most popular budget AI models. Compare pricing, context windows, and find the best value for your high-volume workloads.
Pricing data verified: Jun 10, 2026
| Specification | Gemini 3.5 Flash (Google) | GPT-5 mini (OpenAI) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price (per 1M tokens) | $1.50 | $0.25 |
| Output Price (per 1M tokens) | $9.00 | $2.00 |
| Context Window | 1M tokens | 272K tokens |
| Tier | Budget | Budget |
| Provider | OpenAI | |
| Input Savings vs Other | 3.7x more context | 83% cheaper input |
Calculate Your Exact Costs
Budget tier — maximum value for high-volume, cost-sensitive workloads.
Other Budget Models
Which Budget Model for Which Use Case?
High-Volume Chatbot
Customer-facing chatbot with thousands of daily requests. GPT-5 mini's 83% cheaper input pricing makes a huge difference at scale.
Long Document Processing
Processing documents over 272K tokens — legal contracts, research papers, codebases. Only Gemini 3.5 Flash's 1M context handles this.
Code Assistant
AI-powered coding help, code review, refactoring. Both models are strong. GPT-5 mini offers better cost per request for high-volume use.
Content Generation
Blog posts, marketing copy, product descriptions. Both handle this well. GPT-5 mini at $0.25/$2 vs Gemini 3.5 Flash at $1.50/$9 — GPT-5 mini is 83% cheaper on input.
Building on a budget?
APIpulse Pro lets you compare all 39 models, save scenarios, and find the cheapest option for your exact usage pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gemini 3.5 Flash cheaper than GPT-5 mini?
Yes, Gemini 3.5 Flash is significantly cheaper. Gemini 3.5 Flash costs $1.50/M input and $9/M output, while GPT-5 mini costs $0.25/M input and $2/M output. GPT-5 mini is 83% cheaper on input tokens and 78% cheaper on output tokens.
Which has a larger context window?
Gemini 3.5 Flash has a much larger context window at 1M tokens compared to GPT-5 mini's 272K tokens. If your use case involves processing very long documents or extended conversations, Gemini 3.5 Flash gives you 3.7x more context.
When should I choose Gemini 3.5 Flash over GPT-5 mini?
Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash when you need: (1) Large context windows over 272K tokens, (2) Tasks where Google's training gives better results, (3) Projects already using the Google ecosystem. For most cost-sensitive workloads, GPT-5 mini offers better value per dollar.
Can I mix Gemini 3.5 Flash and GPT-5 mini to optimize costs?
Yes. Use GPT-5 mini for most requests (83% cheaper input) and route long-context tasks (>272K tokens) to Gemini 3.5 Flash. This multi-model strategy can save 30-50% vs using Gemini 3.5 Flash for everything.