Updated March 26, 2026· Based on independent benchmark data
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview leads in intelligence with a score of 57.2 vs 12.7. Nova Lite is 33.3x cheaper at $0.06/1M tokens vs $2.00/1M. For speed, Nova Lite wins at 198 tok/s vs 113 tok/s.
| Metric | Nova Lite | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 12.7 | 57.2 |
| Coding Score | 5.1 | 55.5 |
| Math Score | 7.0 | N/A |
| Speed (tok/s) | 198 tok/s | 113 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 0.41s | 23.84s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $0.06 | $2.00 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $0.24 | $12 |
| Context Window | 300K |
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview outperforms Nova Lite on the intelligence index with a score of 57.2 compared to 12.7. For coding tasks, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has the edge with a coding score of 55.5 vs 5.1.
Nova Lite generates output significantly faster at 198 tok/s compared to Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview's 113 tok/s, making it 1.7x faster for streaming responses. Time to first token is 0.41s for Nova Lite vs 23.84s for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, which affects perceived responsiveness in interactive applications.
Nova Lite is more affordable at $0.06/1M input tokens ($0.24/1M output), while Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview costs $2.00/1M input ($12/1M output). That makes Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview 33.3x more expensive per token, which can add up significantly at scale. For a typical workload of 100 requests per day at 2,000 tokens each, Nova Lite would cost approximately $0.36/month vs $12.00/month for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview in input costs alone.
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview offers a larger context window at 1.0M tokens compared to Nova Lite's 300K. This means Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview can process roughly 524 pages of text in a single request vs 150 pages for Nova Lite.
Choose Nova Lite when you need faster output (198 tok/s), lower cost. Choose Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview when you need higher intelligence (57.2), stronger coding performance (55.5), larger context window (1.0M).
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview scores higher on coding benchmarks (55.5 vs 5.1), making it the better choice for programming tasks.
Nova Lite is cheaper at $0.06/1M input tokens vs $2.00/1M for Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview.
Nova Lite is faster, producing output at 198 tok/s compared to Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview's 113 tok/s.
Yes, Nova Lite supports image input. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview also supports images.
Data last synced: March 26, 2026
| 1.0M |
| Max Output Tokens | N/A | N/A |
| Input Modalities | Text + Image | Audio + File + Image + Text + Video |
| Output Modalities | Text | Text |
| Free Tier | No | No |
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview has a larger context window at 1.0M compared to Nova Lite's 300K.
It depends on your priorities. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview scores higher on intelligence (57.2), but Nova Lite may be better for specific use cases like budget-conscious projects or speed-critical applications.