Gemini vs ChatGPT: more intelligence per dollar?

Google has long competed on context length and price. Here is how Gemini 3 Pro stacks up against GPT-5.6 Sol in 2026.

Gemini

Gemini 3 Pro

105,263

intelligence per $1

Input / 1M
$2
Output / 1M
$12
Tokens / $1
105.3k
Context
131.1k

ChatGPT

GPT-5.6 Sol

42,105

intelligence per $1

Input / 1M
$5
Output / 1M
$30
Tokens / $1
42.1k
Context
1.1M

Value verdict: on intelligence per dollar, Gemini currently comes out ahead — 105,263 vs 42,105. Prices move often, so recheck the calculator regularly.

API pricing

Gemini 3 Pro is $2 input / $12 output per 1M tokens — cheaper than GPT-5.6 Sol's $5 / $30. Gemini 3.6 Flash ($1.5 / $7.5) also undercuts GPT-5.6 Terra on output.

Context and plans

Google's subscription (Google AI Pro at $19.99) is the cheapest major premium plan, and Gemini's free tier is among the most generous. On raw tokens per dollar, Gemini consistently beats ChatGPT.

The verdict

For value, Gemini is the stronger play on paper. ChatGPT retains advantages in ecosystem and familiarity. Run your own workload through the calculator — the winner often flips with usage mix.