Pick Fugu Max for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60% or 1m-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens. Pick Gemini 3.1 Pro for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window or long video and document analysis.
Fugu Max (Sakana AI) and Gemini 3.1 Pro (Google) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Fugu Max is sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens. Gemini 3.1 Pro is a 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Their biggest split is context window, and the breakdown below shows exactly how that plays out for your workload.
Key differences
Context window: 1M tokens vs 1M — within a few percent of each other, so treat this as a tie and test on your own long inputs, since usable recall varies by model.
Recency: Fugu Max is the newer model by about 7 months (released September 10, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Specifications
Spec
Fugu Max
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Provider
Sakana AI (Global)
Google (US)
Released
September 10, 2026
February 19, 2026
Context window
1M tokens (~1,500 pages)
1M (~1,573 pages)
Price (in/out)
$2/$6 per 1M tokens
$2/$12 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text
text, image, audio, video, code
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
26.3%
Who wins what
Cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts Claude Sonnet 5 and Kimi K3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%: Fugu Max — Sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens — and it is the newer of the two.
1M-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens: Fugu Max — Gemini 3.1 Pro is comparatively weak here — long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M)
OpenAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations: Fugu Max — Fugu Max lists openAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations among its strengths; Gemini 3.1 Pro does not.
Full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window: Gemini 3.1 Pro — Gemini 3.1 Pro lists full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window among its strengths; Fugu Max does not.
Long video and document analysis: Gemini 3.1 Pro — Gemini 3.1 Pro lists long video and document analysis among its strengths; Fugu Max does not.
Agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2): Gemini 3.1 Pro — Fugu Max is comparatively weak here — the cheaper sibling to Fugu Ultra v2 — lower ceiling on the hardest reasoning tasks
Which should you pick?
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases: Gemini 3.1 Pro — Larger 1M window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%: Fugu Max — It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window: Gemini 3.1 Pro — That is its strongest area.
Fugu Max: where it fits
Sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens. Released September 10, 2026 by Sakana AI, it is built for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts Claude Sonnet 5 and Kimi K3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%, 1M-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens, and openAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations.
Its trade-offs are real: not a single trained model — Sakana describes Fugu as "a Multi-Agent System, Delivered as One Model" that routes tasks across a pool of other models, so raw benchmark comparisons to monolithic models can be misleading, the cheaper sibling to Fugu Ultra v2 — lower ceiling on the hardest reasoning tasks, and a young, first-generation product from Sakana AI's orchestration approach, unproven at scale versus established frontier labs. At $2 in / $6 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
Gemini 3.1 Pro: where it fits
A 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Released February 19, 2026 by Google, it is built for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window, long video and document analysis, agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2), and broad multimodal understanding across formats.
Its trade-offs: long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M), premium price per token at $2/$12, and superseded within Google's own line by the newer 3.5/3.6 Flash releases for cost-sensitive work. At $2 in / $12 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Fugu Max and Gemini 3.1 Pro overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Gemini 3.1 Pro holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Fugu Max for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%, Gemini 3.1 Pro for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fugu Max or Gemini 3.1 Pro better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Fugu Max leans toward cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60% while Gemini 3.1 Pro leans toward full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Fugu Max or Gemini 3.1 Pro?
They are priced almost identically, so cost will not decide between them.
Which has the bigger context window?
Effectively neither — 1M tokens vs 1M is a difference of a few percent. Remember advertised ≠ usable: recall typically degrades before the ceiling.
Can I use both Fugu Max and Gemini 3.1 Pro together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Fugu Max, Gemini 3.1 Pro and 40+ others under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day), so you can draft with one and cross-check with the other instead of buying two subscriptions.
Which is newer, Fugu Max or Gemini 3.1 Pro?
Fugu Max — released September 10, 2026, about 7 months after Gemini 3.1 Pro.
Fugu Max vs Gemini 3.1 Pro
Sakana AI · Global | Google · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Pick Fugu Max for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60% or 1m-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens. Pick Gemini 3.1 Pro for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window or long video and document analysis.
Fugu Max (Sakana AI) and Gemini 3.1 Pro (Google) are two of the models people most often weigh against each other in 2026. Fugu Max is sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens. Gemini 3.1 Pro is a 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Their biggest split is context window, and the breakdown below shows exactly how that plays out for your workload.
Key differences at a glance
▸Context window: 1M tokens vs 1M — within a few percent of each other, so treat this as a tie and test on your own long inputs, since usable recall varies by model.
▸Recency: Fugu Max is the newer model by about 7 months (released September 10, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
Spec
Fugu Max
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Provider
Sakana AI (Global)
Google (US)
Released
September 10, 2026
February 19, 2026
Context window
1M tokens (~1,500 pages)
1M (~1,573 pages)
Price (in/out)
$2/$6 per 1M tokens
$2/$12 per 1M tokens
Open weight?
No — API only
No — API only
Modalities
text
text, image, audio, video, code
SWE-Bench Verified
Not published
Not published
MRCR v2 @ 1M
Not published
26.3%
Who wins what
Cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts Claude Sonnet 5 and Kimi K3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%
Fugu Max
Sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens — and it is the newer of the two.
1M-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens
Fugu Max
Gemini 3.1 Pro is comparatively weak here — long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M)
OpenAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations
Fugu Max
Fugu Max lists openAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations among its strengths; Gemini 3.1 Pro does not.
Full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Gemini 3.1 Pro lists full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window among its strengths; Fugu Max does not.
Long video and document analysis
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Gemini 3.1 Pro lists long video and document analysis among its strengths; Fugu Max does not.
Agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2)
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Fugu Max is comparatively weak here — the cheaper sibling to Fugu Ultra v2 — lower ceiling on the hardest reasoning tasks
Which should you pick?
Someone analysing very long documents or codebases
→ Gemini 3.1 Pro
Larger 1M window fits more in one prompt.
Anyone whose priority is cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%
→ Fugu Max
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window
→ Gemini 3.1 Pro
That is its strongest area.
Fugu Max: where it fits
Sakana AI's cost-first multi-agent orchestration model — not a single trained model, but a routed pool of models behind one API, priced at $2/$6 per million tokens. Released September 10, 2026 by Sakana AI, it is built for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts Claude Sonnet 5 and Kimi K3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%, 1M-token context window at $2/$6 per million tokens, and openAI-compatible API — drop-in replacement for single-model integrations.
Its trade-offs are real: not a single trained model — Sakana describes Fugu as "a Multi-Agent System, Delivered as One Model" that routes tasks across a pool of other models, so raw benchmark comparisons to monolithic models can be misleading, the cheaper sibling to Fugu Ultra v2 — lower ceiling on the hardest reasoning tasks, and a young, first-generation product from Sakana AI's orchestration approach, unproven at scale versus established frontier labs. At $2 in / $6 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
Gemini 3.1 Pro: where it fits
A 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Released February 19, 2026 by Google, it is built for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window, long video and document analysis, agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2), and broad multimodal understanding across formats.
Its trade-offs: long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M), premium price per token at $2/$12, and superseded within Google's own line by the newer 3.5/3.6 Flash releases for cost-sensitive work. At $2 in / $12 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Fugu Max and Gemini 3.1 Pro overlap enough that the right pick depends on your specific job. Gemini 3.1 Pro holds the larger context; and each leads in its own area — Fugu Max for cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60%, Gemini 3.1 Pro for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window. Rather than crowning one, run the same hard task through both once and let the results decide.
Want both Fugu Max and Gemini 3.1 Pro without two subscriptions? LumiChats gives you these plus 40+ models under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day) — draft with one, cross-check with the other.
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Fugu Max leans toward cost-efficient multi-agent orchestration — undercuts claude sonnet 5 and kimi k3 on output cost by a claimed 40-60% while Gemini 3.1 Pro leans toward full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Fugu Max or Gemini 3.1 Pro?
They are priced almost identically, so cost will not decide between them.
Which has the bigger context window?
Effectively neither — 1M tokens vs 1M is a difference of a few percent. Remember advertised ≠ usable: recall typically degrades before the ceiling.
Can I use both Fugu Max and Gemini 3.1 Pro together?
Yes — a multi-model platform like LumiChats gives you Fugu Max, Gemini 3.1 Pro and 40+ others under one ₹69/day pass (about $1/day), so you can draft with one and cross-check with the other instead of buying two subscriptions.
Which is newer, Fugu Max or Gemini 3.1 Pro?
Fugu Max — released September 10, 2026, about 7 months after Gemini 3.1 Pro.
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.