Good value for developers running huge volumes of simple tasks, though a successor is named and shutdown is set for May 2027.
Kenning's take
What it does
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is a low-cost model for high-volume jobs such as translation, content moderation and simple data processing. Developers can set how much it thinks per task. It launched in preview in March 2026, later became a stable API model, and Google now names Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite as its successor with a 7 May 2027 shutdown date.
- Adjustable thinking levels
- Low latency for real-time apps
- Multimodal input
- Free tier in the Gemini API
Who it suits. Developers running large volumes of simple AI tasks on a budget.
Key facts
- Category
- AI models
- Part of
- Google Gemini
- Made by
- Based in
- United States
- Released
- 3 March 2026
- How to get it
- Gemini API in AI Studio and Vertex AI; not in the consumer Gemini app
- Works on
- API, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes, Gemini API free tier
- API price
- $0.25 per million input tokens (audio $0.50), $1.50 per million output tokens
FAQ
How much does Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite cost?
$0.25 per million input tokens and $1.50 per million output tokens, with a free tier.
When was it released?
In preview on 3 March 2026.
Facts from the maker's own pages and the sources listed. Checked 2026-10-11.
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