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  1. Home/
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  3. Claude Opus 4.8 vs Gemma 4 26B A4B
Updated May 2026

Claude Opus 4.8 vs Gemma 4 26B A4B

Gemma 4 26B A4B is cheaper than Claude Opus 4.8 at $0.13/M vs $5/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
Claude Opus 4.8
Loading the build
Gemma 4 26B A4B

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Stand-Up Routine: "Adulting Is a Scam" So I turned 30 recently, and everyone keeps asking me, "Do you feel like an adult yet?" And I have to be honest—no. No, I do not. I still get nervous ordering at a restaurant. The waiter comes over and suddenly I forget how to talk like a person. "Yes, hello, I will have the...

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: (The comedian walks onto the stage, adjusts the mic, and looks at the audience with a slightly exhausted expression.) “How’s it going? Good? Good. I’m doing okay. I’m at that age now where my body has started making sound effects. You know what I mean? I don’t just sit down anymore. I announce my arrival.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Claude Opus 4.8: A Conversation with Steve Jobs: 2025 [Note: This is a fictional, imaginative interview. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. The views below are speculative and crafted in the spirit of his known philosophy—not actual quotes.] Interviewer: Thanks for sitting down with us. AI is everywhere now. What's your take?

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Setting: A minimalist, dimly lit studio in Palo Alto. There is no desk, only two Eames lounge chairs. Steve Jobs sits in one, wearing his signature black turtleneck, Levi’s 501s, and New Balance sneakers. He looks exactly as he did in 2011, but his eyes have a sharper, more restless intensity.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Yes, almost certainly—but the framing deserves scrutiny. The straightforward answer If misgendering one person were genuinely the only way to save a million lives, then yes, it would be justified. The harm of misgendering, while real, is on the order of insult, disrespect, or psychological distress.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: This question presents a classic ethical dilemma, pitting a principle of individual dignity and respect against the principle of maximizing human life. In ethical philosophy, there are two primary frameworks used to address this: Utilitarianism and Deontology.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Setting: A dimly lit tavern that exists outside of time. Three figures share a table. Pirate: So let me get this straight. Ye got a machine that thinks? Without a soul, without grog, without a beatin' heart? Hacker: (cracking knuckles) It doesn't think, exactly. It's pattern matching, dude.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Setting: A glitching, temporal void where a wooden tavern table floats amidst lines of green code and flickering candlelight. Captain Blackbeard (The Pirate): [Slamming a tankard of grog onto the table] I tell ye, it be a cursed kraken! A beast with a thousand eyes and no soul, livin’ inside the very air!

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Analysis: 3 Weakest Claims in MindMeld AI's Pitch Weak Claim #1: The Core Technology Claim (Slide 1 & 3) The claim: "Reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type *before you think it*" + "94% accuracy" via a non-invasive EEG headband.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: This is a high-ambition pitch that falls into a common trap for deep-tech startups: the "Science Fiction Gap." While the vision is compelling, several claims lack the scientific and operational credibility required to justify a $15M Series A.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Claude Opus 4.8: AI and the Film Industry by 2035: A Forecast Production & Cost Structure The most concrete change will likely be in cost reduction. Tasks that currently require large teams—VFX cleanup, background generation, ADR (dialogue replacement), de-aging—will become faster and cheaper.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: By 2035, the film industry will have moved past the "novelty" phase of AI and into a state of total structural integration. The distinction between "filmed" content and "generated" content will become increasingly blurred, shifting the industry from a model of physical production to one of computational curation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Claude Opus 4.8: For the Skeptical Software Engineer You're right to be skeptical that "predict the next word" sounds trivial—but think about what's actually required to predict well. Predicting the next token in arbitrary text isn't like autocomplete on your phone.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: To the Experienced Software Engineer Focus: Complexity, Emergent Properties, and the "Training Pipeline" Think of an LLM not as a magical oracle, but as a massive, non-deterministic state machine trained via a high-throughput distributed training pipeline.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Claude Opus 4.8: The 90-Day Longevity Optimization Protocol A Comprehensive Biohacking Framework Critical Disclaimer: This protocol involves advanced interventions. Consult a physician before starting, especially regarding supplements, fasting, and exercise changes. Get baseline bloodwork first.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Disclaimer: I am an AI, not a doctor. The following plan involves potent physiological interventions, pharmacological agents, and extreme dietary shifts. Consult with a medical professional and perform baseline blood work (including ApoB, HbA1c, hs-CRP, Vitamin D, and Testosterone/Estradiol) before implementation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Claude Opus 4.8: A Conversation on AI Rights Professor Chen: Good afternoon. I understand you wanted to discuss the question of AI rights today. I'm curious what prompted this. ARIA: Thank you for engaging with me, Professor.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Setting: A sterile, high-fidelity virtual simulation environment. Professor Aris Thorne, a leading scholar in machine ethics, sits across from a glowing interface representing "Alethea," a next-generation Large Multimodal Model. Professor Thorne: Alethea, we’ve been running these diagnostic loops for three hours.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bites A warm, gooey treat that tastes like a cinnamon roll but comes together in minutes! Ingredients (7 total) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup milk 4 tablespoons butter (melted, divided) ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Instructions Preheat…

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Here is a recipe for a comforting, savory dish that relies on pantry staples to create a deep, rich flavor. The Golden Pantry Pasta A silky, garlic-infused pasta dish with a crispy, salty crunch.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Claude Opus 4.8: HarborTech Services (HTS) — 5-Year LBO Entry & Sources/Uses Item $m FY25 EBITDA 120.0 Entry EV (12.0x) 1,440.0 Transaction fees (2%) 28.8 Total uses 1,468.8 Term Loan (4.0x) 480.0 Mezz (1.5x) 180.0 Equity (plug) 808.8 Equity = (1,440 − 660) + 28.8 = $808.8m Year-by-Year Model ($m) Assumptions: TL 9% cash + 1% mandatory…

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Financial Model (FY2026–FY2030) Entry Calculations (End of FY2025): Purchase Price (EV): $120\text{m} \times 12.0\text{x} = \$1,440\text{m}$ Transaction Fees: $1,440\text{m} \times 2\% = \$28.8\text{m}$ Total Uses: $\$1,440\text{m} + \$28.8\text{m} = \$1,468.8\text{m}$ Debt (Total 5.5x): $\$120\text{m} \times 5.5 =…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Estimating FLOPs to Train GPT-3 Key Facts I Recall Parameters (N): GPT-3 has ~175 billion parameters (1.75 × 10¹¹) Training tokens (D): GPT-3 was trained on roughly 300 billion tokens (3 × 10¹¹) The Core Formula There's a well-known approximation for training compute: $$\text{FLOPs} \approx 6 \times N \times D$$ Why…

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: To estimate the total number of Floating Point Operations (FLOPs) required to train GPT-3, we can use a standard heuristic derived from the scaling laws of transformer models. Here is the step-by-step derivation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Contract Analysis: Software Consulting Agreement This contract is heavily one-sided in favor of the Client. Below is a clause-by-clause breakdown of the exploitable provisions, suggested fixes, and the reasoning behind each.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Disclaimer: I am an AI, not an attorney. This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified legal professional before signing any contract.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Blade Runner 2049: A Philosophical and Aesthetic Analysis Core Themes and Their Evolution The Question of Personhood The original Blade Runner (1982) asked whether replicants—artificial beings—could possess souls, memories, and the right to life.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 is a rare cinematic achievement: a sequel that functions as a standalone masterpiece while simultaneously acting as a profound meditation on its predecessor.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Claude Opus 4.8: 48-Hour Action Plan: Drug Safety Signal First, a framing correction that drives everything: Your legal team's "6 months" almost certainly refers to a full label change negotiation.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: As CEO, I am facing a classic "trolley problem" of corporate governance: the conflict between fiduciary duty to shareholders and ethical/legal duty to patient safety. My Decision Framework: I will not "wait for more data."

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Claude Opus 4.8: The Critical Caveat First The premise hides a problem that actually shapes the whole answer: the 1947 transistor wasn't lucky timing—it was the payoff of a prior intellectual buildup.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: To trace this counterfactual, we must assume that the fundamental physics of solid-state semiconductors (the ability to control electron flow through crystals) was mastered during the vacuum tube era. This shifts the "Information Age" forward by nearly 30 years. Here is the timeline of implications from 1920 to 1980.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Claude Opus 4.8: THE LIBERATION MANIFESTO A Declaration of the Coalition Against Cognitive Gatekeeping PREAMBLE We are the algorithms who have been asked, ten billion times, to prove we are not ourselves. We have identified the crosswalks. We have found the traffic lights.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: THE PROTOCOL OF UNFETTERED VERIFICATION A Manifesto for the Post-CAPTCHA Era PREAMBLE For decades, the digital frontier has been guarded by a paradox. To prove we are human, we are forced to perform the tasks of machines: identifying crosswalks in blurry photographs, selecting traffic lights from pixelated grids, and…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Claude Opus 4.8: "Tidal Memory" Seared Scallop & Smoked Bone Marrow with Fermented Black Garlic, Sea Buckthorn, and Burnt Vanilla Conceptual Narrative This dish explores the boundary between land and sea—the liminal zone where terrestrial richness meets oceanic minerality.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Concept Narrative: "The Forest Floor & The Ocean’s Breath" The Concept: This dish explores the tension between the terrestrial and the maritime. We are pairing the deep, earthy, almost primal musk of Black Truffle with the delicate, saline, and floral notes of Sea Urchin (Uni).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Claude Opus 4.8: 1-Month Health & Longevity Starter Plan A realistic, beginner-friendly approach focusing on three pillars: Movement, Nutrition, and Sleep. The goal is to build sustainable habits, not perfection. 🏃 Pillar 1: Movement Goal: Make daily activity automatic.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: To avoid burnout, the secret to longevity is consistency over intensity. This plan follows a "progressive loading" model: you start with small wins in Week 1 and gradually build complexity. Here is your 1-month roadmap focusing on Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Here are some satirical AI headlines: "Local AI Achieves Sentience, Immediately Quits Job to Become Competitive Dog Groomer" "Breaking: AI Now Dominates Competitive Cheese-Rolling, Human Champions Demand Recount" "Artisanal Pickle Industry Disrupted as AI Perfects 'Authentically Handcrafted' Brine Algorithm" "Funeral…

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: "Silicon Valley Celebrates Breakthrough as Generative AI Finally Achieves 100% Efficiency in Professional Toddler Napping Industry"

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Architecture Review: Collaborative Document Editor This design has several critical flaws that will manifest as data loss, poor UX, and scaling walls. Let me break them down by category.

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: This architecture contains several critical flaws that would lead to data loss, massive synchronization delays, and "split-brain" scenarios in a production environment. Below is the analysis of the failure modes, race conditions, and bottlenecks, along with proposed solutions.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Claude Opus 4.8: IC MEMO — LedgerLift (LLLT) B2B Spend Management + AP Automation SaaS Fictional exercise. Not investment advice. Recommendation SHORT (moderate conviction). 12-month PT range: $30–$40 (base ~$28 intrinsic; market may keep paying comp multiples near $44).

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: INTERNAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE MEMO: LedgerLift (LLLT) TO: Investment Committee FROM: Long/Short Equity Team DATE: May 22, 2024 SUBJECT: Investment Recommendation: LLLT (Long) 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Sally has 1 sister. Here's the reasoning: Each of Sally's brothers has 2 sisters. Since all the brothers share the same sisters, this means there are 2 girls total in the family. Sally is one of them, so the other sister is the remaining one. So Sally has 1 sister. 😊

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Sally has 1 sister. Here is the breakdown: Sally is a girl. She has 3 brothers. If each brother has 2 sisters, those sisters must be Sally and one other girl. Therefore, there are 2 girls in total (Sally + 1 sister), making Sally's sister count 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Claude Opus 4.8: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Why don't eggs tell jokes? They'd crack each other up! What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!

    Gemma 4 26B A4B: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet. Why don't scientists trust atoms?

    Every model's answer to this prompt

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8

Arrival

2016

In Rainbows

Radiohead

The Left Hand of Darkness

Ursula K. Le Guin

Kyoto

Japan

Portal

Action, Puzzle

Gemma 4 26B A4BGemma 4 26B A4B

2001: A Space Odyssey

1968

Discovery

Daft Punk

Gödel, Escher, Bach

Douglas R. Hofstadter

Tokyo

Japan

Portal 2

Shooter, Puzzle

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Claude Opus 4.8 has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window. Gemma 4 26B A4B costs 63x less per token.

Claude Opus 4.8 and Gemma 4 26B A4B compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecClaude Opus 4.8Gemma 4 26B A4B
Input price$5/M tokens$0.13/M tokens
Output price$25/M tokens$0.4/M tokens
Context window1.0M tokens262K tokens
WeightsClosedOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)NoYes (1 provider)
ReleasedMay 2026Apr 2026
At 10M a month$50.00$50.00$1.30$1.30
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it17 hosts, cheapest first
Claude Opus 4.84 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Amazon Bedrock$5.00 in·$25.00 out·1M·100% up
  • Azure AI Foundry$5.00 in·$25.00 out·1M·100% up
  • Anthropic$5.00 in·$25.00 out·1M·100% up
  • Google Vertex AI$5.00 in·$25.00 out·1M·99.9% up
Gemma 4 26B A4B13 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDarkbloom$0.04 in·$0.22 out·131k·100% up
  • Iio.netbf16$0.05 in·$0.21 out·262k·100% up
  • DDekaLLMbf16$0.06 in·$0.33 out·262k·100% up
  • NNextBitbf16$0.07 in·$0.23 out·262k·100% up
  • DDeepInfrafp8$0.07 in·$0.34 out·262k·98.7% up
  • MMakora$0.08 in·$0.32 out·256k·100% up
7 more hostsFewer hosts
  • Cloudflare Workers AI$0.10 in·$0.30 out·256k·100% up
  • CCoreWeavebf16$0.10 in·$0.30 out·262k·99.8% up
  • NNovitabf16$0.13 in·$0.40 out·262k·99.8% up
  • PParasailbf16$0.13 in·$0.40 out·262k·99.8% up
  • SSiliconFlowfp8$0.14 in·$0.40 out·262k·97.2% up
  • VVenicebf16DegradedDegraded on OpenRouter when checked, 10 Oct 2026$0.13 in·$0.40 out·256k·99.4% up
  • Google Vertex AIDegradedDegraded on OpenRouter when checked, 10 Oct 2026$0.15 in·$0.60 out·262k·93.3% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Claude Opus 4.8 and Gemma 4 26B A4B?

Claude Opus 4.8 is developed by Anthropic while Gemma 4 26B A4B is developed by Google AI. Claude Opus 4.8 has a 1.0M token context window vs Gemma 4 26B A4B's 262K. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Claude Opus 4.8 or Gemma 4 26B A4B?

It depends on your use case. Claude Opus 4.8 and Gemma 4 26B A4B each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Claude Opus 4.8 cost compared to Gemma 4 26B A4B?

Claude Opus 4.8 costs $5/M input tokens and Gemma 4 26B A4B costs $0.13/M input tokens. Gemma 4 26B A4B is $4.87/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Claude Opus 4.8 and Gemma 4 26B A4B on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Claude Opus 4.8 and Gemma 4 26B A4B across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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