Gemma 3 27B vs Phi-4

Compare Gemma 3 27B and Phi-4: pricing, performance, context window, latency, and best use cases. Side-by-side comparison on XALEN.

Updated 2026-05-21 · By Abhishek Raj · Our methodology

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Feature Gemma 3 27B Phi-4
CategoryOpen SourceCompact
Parameters27B14B
Context Window128K16K
Input Price$0.03/1M tokens$0.01/1M tokens
Output Price$0.05/1M tokens$0.02/1M tokens
Latency~180ms~100ms

Choose Gemma 3 27B when:

  • ✓ Fast chatbots
  • ✓ Content moderation
  • ✓ Temple kiosks
Key Strengths:

Fast inference, Reliable output, Strong English/Hindi

Choose Phi-4 when:

  • ✓ Edge deployments
  • ✓ Cost-sensitive apps
  • ✓ Classification
Key Strengths:

Very compact, Strong reasoning for size, Extremely low cost

Verdict: Gemma 3 27B vs Phi-4

For cost efficiency, Phi-4 wins at $0.01/1M input tokens. For speed, Phi-4 is faster at ~100ms. Gemma 3 27B excels at Fast chatbots while Phi-4 is better for Edge deployments. Both are available on XALEN through a single API — try them in the Playground to see which fits your workload.

Detailed Analysis

Pricing Comparison

Gemma 3 27B costs $0.03/1M input tokens and $0.05/1M output tokens. Phi-4 costs $0.01 input and $0.02 output. Phi-4 is 3.0x cheaper on input tokens. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.

Performance & Context

Gemma 3 27B has a 128K context window with ~180ms latency. Phi-4 offers 16K context at ~100ms. Gemma 3 27B has the larger context window.

Best For

Gemma 3 27B (Open Source) is optimized for: Fast chatbots, Content moderation, Temple kiosks. Phi-4 (Compact) works best for: Edge deployments, Cost-sensitive apps, Classification.

Try Both on XALEN

Both models are available through XALEN's OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between them by changing the model parameter:

from xalen import XALEN

client = XALEN(api_key="xln_test_YOUR_KEY")

# Use Gemma 3 27B
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gemma-3-27b",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

# Use Phi-4
response_b = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="phi-4",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

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Get API Key Try in Playground

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Gemma 3 27B or Phi-4?

Gemma 3 27B (Open Source, 27B) offers Fast inference. Phi-4 (Compact, 14B) offers Very compact. Choose Gemma 3 27B for Fast chatbots or Phi-4 for Edge deployments.

How much does Gemma 3 27B cost vs Phi-4?

Gemma 3 27B: $0.03/1M input, $0.05/1M output. Phi-4: $0.01/1M input, $0.02/1M output. Both available on XALEN with batch processing at 50% discount.

Can I use both models on XALEN?

Yes. XALEN provides 200+ models through a single OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between Gemma 3 27B and Phi-4 by changing the model parameter. No code changes needed.

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Last updated: 2026-05-21. Pricing and specifications may change. Check pricing page for latest rates.