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Claude Haiku 4.5 vs Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
A straight cost comparison of Claude Haiku 4.5 (Anthropic) and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite (Google Gemini), per 1,000,000 tokens, verified October 2026.
Rate-by-rate comparison
| Metric | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M | $1 | $0.30 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Cached input / 1M | $0.10 | $0.03 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Cache write / 1M | $1.25 | — | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Output / 1M | $5 | $2.50 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Context window | 200,000 | 1,000,000 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Batch API | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Long-context tier | None | None | — |
For per-token metrics, the lower number wins. For context window and batch support, the higher or broader option wins. A dash means the provider does not publish that rate: a missing cache-write fee means writes are not billed per token, while a missing cached-input rate means cache hits bill at the full input rate.
Blended cost: 1M input + 250K output
| Model | Blended cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | $2.25 | +$1.32 |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | $0.925 | Cheaper |
Three workloads, two bills
| Workload | Claude Haiku 4.5 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support chat 1,000 requests · 4K input / 600 output | $7 | $2.70 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| RAG with caching 1,000 requests · 50K input (45K cached) / 1K output | $14.55 | $5.36 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
| Nightly batch job 10,000 requests · 10K input / 2K output | $100 | $40 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
Which one should you pick?
Claude Haiku 4.5 wins on none of the three workloads above, while Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite wins on support chat, cached RAG, nightly batch job.
Beyond price, the two differ on input rate ($1 vs $0.30); output rate ($5 vs $2.50); cached-input rate ($0.10 vs $0.03); cache-write rate ($1.25 vs —); context window (200,000 vs 1,000,000).
Batch mode is available on Claude Haiku 4.5 and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, which halves the nightly job. Both publish cached-input discounts, so a stable system prompt is worth caching on either.
FAQ
Is Claude Haiku 4.5 cheaper than Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
On a blended 1M-input-plus-250K-output workload, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is cheaper by 59% ($0.925 vs $2.25). The gap changes for cache-heavy prompts and for batch jobs, as the workload table shows.
Which handles longer prompts, Claude Haiku 4.5 or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Claude Haiku 4.5 has the larger context window (1,000,000 vs 200,000 tokens). Neither model publishes a long-context surcharge.
Do both models support prompt caching?
Claude Haiku 4.5 bills cached reads at $0.10 per 1M; Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite at $0.03.