Gemma 4 26B A4B IT vs Laguna XS 2.1
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT comes out ahead, 71 to 68 on our weighted score, though Laguna XS 2.1 is 2.3× cheaper per token.
- Our pick
GoogleGemma 4 26B A4B IT
71/100- ECI141.9
- Price$0.10 / $0.38
- Context262K
PoolsideLaguna XS 2.1
68/100- ECI—
- Price$0.06 / $0.12
- Context262K
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Make it a three-way comparison.
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is our pick
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is the better all-round choice, scoring 71/100 against Laguna XS 2.1 (68). It leads on inputs & features. Laguna XS 2.1 wins on price. The score weighs price 50%, inputs & features 30%, context window 20%. None of the shared benchmarks cover every model here yet, so capability is left out of this verdict.
- CapabilityNot enough dataNo independent benchmark covers every model here yet
- Lowest priceLaguna XS 2.1Laguna XS 2.1 $0.075 · Gemma 4 26B A4B IT $0.17 per 1M tokens (3:1 blend)
- Longest contextAbout the sameGemma 4 26B A4B IT 262,144 · Laguna XS 2.1 262,144 tokens
- Widest inputsGemma 4 26B A4B ITGemma 4 26B A4B IT: Text, Images · Laguna XS 2.1: Text
- Self-hostingAll open weightsEvery model here can be downloaded and run on your own hardware
| Measure | Weight | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | Laguna XS 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 50% | 86 | 100 |
| Inputs & features | 30% | 70 | 35 |
| Context window | 20% | 37 | 37 |
| Overall | 100% | 71/100 | 68/100 |
Left out because at least one model lacks the data: capability. The remaining weights were rescaled.
Every spec in one table
Highlighted cells lead their row. Dashes mean the data is not published.
| Specification | Gemma 4 26B A4B ITGoogle | Laguna XS 2.1Poolside |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | ||
| Capabilities Index (ECI) | 141.9 | — |
| ECI rank | #93 of 148 | — |
| GPQA DiamondGraduate-level science questions | 73.2% | — |
| OTIS Mock AIME 2024–2025Competition mathematics | 82.2% | — |
| Price per million tokens | ||
| Input | $0.10 | $0.06 (best) |
| Output | $0.38 | $0.12 (best) |
| Cached input | — | — |
| Blended (3:1) | $0.17 | $0.075 (best) |
| Long-context rate | Same rate | Same rate |
| Price source | Median of 23 providers | Median of 1 providers |
| Limits | ||
| Context window | 262,144 tokens | 262,144 tokens |
| Max output | 32,768 tokens | 32,768 tokens |
| Inputs and features | ||
| Text | Yes | Yes |
| Images | Yes | No |
| PDFs | No | No |
| Audio | No | No |
| Video | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Tool calling | Yes | Yes |
| Structured output | Yes | No |
| Availability | ||
| Weights | Open | Open |
| API model ID | gemma-4-26b-a4b-it | poolside/laguna-xs-2.1 |
| API providers | 26 (best) | 4 |
| Released | Apr 2, 2026 | Jul 2, 2026 |
| Knowledge cutoff | — | — |
What would a month cost?
Enter your expected volume in millions of tokens. List prices only; caching and batch discounts would lower these.
- Gemma 4 26B A4B IT$1.76
- Laguna XS 2.1$0.84
Which should you choose?
Which is better: Gemma 4 26B A4B IT or Laguna XS 2.1?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is the better all-round choice, scoring 71/100 against Laguna XS 2.1 (68). It leads on inputs & features. Laguna XS 2.1 wins on price. The score weighs price 50%, inputs & features 30%, context window 20%. None of the shared benchmarks cover every model here yet, so capability is left out of this verdict.
Which is cheaper, Gemma 4 26B A4B IT or Laguna XS 2.1?
Laguna XS 2.1 is cheaper at $0.06 input / $0.12 output per million tokens (median across 1 API provider; free on Poolside). Gemma 4 26B A4B IT costs $0.10 input / $0.38 output per million tokens (median across 23 API providers). At a typical mix of three input tokens to one output token, that is $0.075 per million tokens for Laguna XS 2.1 versus $0.17 for Gemma 4 26B A4B IT (2.3× as much).
Which scores higher on benchmarks?
There is no independent benchmark that covers both models yet. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT has an ECI of 141.9 and Laguna XS 2.1 has not been scored yet.
Which is better for coding?
There are no published SWE-bench Verified results for Gemma 4 26B A4B IT and Laguna XS 2.1 yet, so there is no like-for-like coding score. Test both on a sample of your own tasks. Both support tool calling for agent workflows.
Which has the bigger context window?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT and Laguna XS 2.1 share the same 262,144-token context window. Maximum output per response: Gemma 4 26B A4B IT up to 32,768, Laguna XS 2.1 up to 32,768 tokens.
Which can read images, PDFs, audio or video?
Gemma 4 26B A4B IT accepts text and images; Laguna XS 2.1 accepts text. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT handles the widest range of inputs.
Are any of these open source?
Yes, both publish their weights, so you can self-host them.
Which is newer?
Laguna XS 2.1 is the newest, released Jul 2, 2026. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT came out Apr 2, 2026.
How do you decide the winner?
Each model gets a 0–100 score on capability (50%, independent benchmark results); price (25%, blended price per million tokens (3 input : 1 output), log scale); inputs & features (15%, image, PDF, audio and video input, tool calling, structured output and reasoning); context window (10%, maximum tokens per request, log scale). Dimensions missing for any model are dropped and the remaining weights rescaled, so every model is judged on the same evidence. Specs and prices come from public model listings and the labs’ own API pages; capability scores come from independent benchmark runs. Data updated Oct 4, 2026.
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