Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Gemini 3 Pro

Side-by-side benchmark comparison across coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing.

Gemini 3 Pro by Google wins on 12 of 15 benchmarks against Gemini 2.5 Pro by Google, which leads on 3. This head-to-head comparison covers coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing metrics from our benchmark data.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

General Intelligence: In general intelligence, Gemini 3 Pro scores 1492 on Chatbot Arena ELO compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 1465, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 89.8% on MMLU-Pro compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 84.0%, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 91.0% on IFEval compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 88.0%.

Coding: In coding, Gemini 3 Pro scores 91.0% on HumanEval+ compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 89.0%, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 65.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 63.8%, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 72.0% on LiveCodeBench compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 58.0%.

Math: In math, Gemini 3 Pro scores 92.0% on MATH compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 88.0%, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 97.5% on GSM8K compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 95.5%.

Reasoning: In reasoning, Gemini 3 Pro scores 91.9% on GPQA Diamond compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 84.0%, while Gemini 3 Pro scores 54.0% on ARC-AGI compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro's 48.0%.

Context: In context, Gemini 2.5 Pro scores 1.0M on Context Length compared to Gemini 3 Pro's 1.0M.

Pricing Comparison

Gemini 2.5 Pro costs $1.3/1M input tokens and $10.0/1M output tokens, while Gemini 3 Pro costs $2.0/1M input and $12.0/1M output. Gemini 2.5 Pro is the more affordable option for API usage.

Speed Comparison

Gemini 2.5 Pro generates output at 55 tok/s compared to Gemini 3 Pro's 60 tok/s, and the time to first token is 500 ms for Gemini 2.5 Pro versus 450 ms for Gemini 3 Pro. Gemini 3 Pro delivers faster throughput.

Verdict

For developers prioritizing affordability, Gemini 2.5 Pro has the edge. For those who value coding and general intelligence and math and speed, Gemini 3 Pro is the stronger choice.

Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Gemini 3 Pro — FAQ

Which is better, Gemini 2.5 Pro or Gemini 3 Pro?

Gemini 3 Pro wins on more benchmarks overall (12 vs 3). However, the best choice depends on your specific needs — each model excels in different areas.

How does Gemini 2.5 Pro compare to Gemini 3 Pro for coding?

Gemini 3 Pro is better for coding, scoring 65.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to 63.8%. SWE-bench tests real-world software engineering by resolving actual GitHub issues.

Is Gemini 2.5 Pro cheaper than Gemini 3 Pro?

Yes, Gemini 2.5 Pro is cheaper. Gemini 2.5 Pro costs $1.3/1M input and $10.0/1M output tokens. Gemini 3 Pro costs $2.0/1M input and $12.0/1M output tokens.

Which is faster, Gemini 2.5 Pro or Gemini 3 Pro?

Gemini 3 Pro is faster, generating output at 60 tok/s compared to 55 tok/s. Faster output speed means shorter wait times for API responses.

What benchmarks does the Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Gemini 3 Pro comparison cover?

This comparison covers 15 benchmarks including Chatbot Arena ELO, MMLU-Pro, HumanEval+, IFEval, MATH, GPQA Diamond, SWE-bench Verified, Output Speed, and more. Metrics span general intelligence, coding, math, reasoning, speed, and cost categories.