# Gemini 4 Hydrogen — Google's fast, low-cost model for agent work

> Google's Gemini 4 Hydrogen is a cheaper, faster Gemini 4 model built to run the everyday work of coding agents.

- Org: Google
- Date: 2026-11-12
- Category: model
- Source: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/introducing-gemini-4-hydrogen/
- Canonical page: https://ai-tldr.dev/releases/google-gemini-4-hydrogen/

## In short

Gemini 4 Hydrogen is Google's fast model for coding and agent workflows. It costs $1.50 in and $7.50 out per 1M tokens, has a 1M-token context window, and scores 51 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, one point above Gemini 4 Argon.

## What it is

Gemini 4 Hydrogen is a new Gemini 4 model that Google calls its daily driver for agentic workflows. It sits below the frontier models Gemini 4 Carbon and Gemini 4 Argon, which Google keeps for deep, long-horizon reasoning. It adds a fourth thinking level, xhigh, next to low, medium and high (the default).

## How it works

Google says Hydrogen finishes tasks 2.5x faster than Gemini 3.8 Flash at its default setting and uses fewer tokens in partner tests. In multi-agent setups, Carbon can plan the work while Hydrogen runs the worker and verifier agents. Google also reports 12x fewer misaligned actions and task shortcuts than Gemini 3.8 Flash, and 99.9% legible chain of thought across more than 200,000 audited turns.

## Why it matters

Agent loops burn many tokens, so a model that scores near Argon on the Artificial Analysis index at $1.50 / $7.50 per 1M tokens cuts the cost of running agents all day. It also reaches users fast: Google Search uses it for all users worldwide from today.

## Who it's for

developers building coding agents, Antigravity and Gemini API users

## Try it

gemini-4-hydrogen

## Quick facts

- Maker: Google DeepMind
- Model ID: gemini-4-hydrogen
- Context window: 1M input tokens, up to 1M output
- Price: $1.50 in / $7.50 out per 1M tokens
- Thinking levels: low, medium, high (default), xhigh
- Availability: Gemini API, AI Studio, Antigravity, Gemini app, Search

## FAQ

### How much does Gemini 4 Hydrogen cost?

Gemini 4 Hydrogen costs $1.50 per million input tokens and $7.50 per million output tokens, according to Google. The price is flat across the full 1M-token context window, so long prompts do not move into a higher price tier.

### Where can I use Gemini 4 Hydrogen?

Google offers Gemini 4 Hydrogen in the Gemini API and all tiers of Google AI Studio, in Android Studio on the paid tier, and in Google Antigravity for paid AI Pro and Ultra users. It is also in the Gemini app model menu and rolling out to Gemini in Sheets. In Google Search it is available to all users worldwide.

### How does Gemini 4 Hydrogen compare with Gemini 4 Argon?

Google says Gemini 4 Hydrogen scores 51 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index at high thinking, against 50 for Gemini 4 Argon, and 54 at xhigh. Google still positions Argon and Carbon as its frontier models for deep, long-horizon reasoning, and Hydrogen as the faster everyday model.

### How fast is Gemini 4 Hydrogen compared with Gemini 3.8 Flash?

Google reports that Gemini 4 Hydrogen finishes tasks 2.5x faster than Gemini 3.8 Flash at its default high setting. Partner tests showed 2x to 2.8x faster runs with 12% to 23% lower token use. On Terminal-Bench 4.1, Hydrogen scores 57% against 18.2% for Gemini 3.8 Flash.

## Links

- [Google Announcement](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/introducing-gemini-4-hydrogen/)
- [Model Card](https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/Model-Cards/Gemini-4-Hydrogen-Model-Card.pdf)
- [AI Studio What's New](https://aistudio.google.com/docs/whats-new-gemini-4-hydrogen)
- [Antigravity Blog](https://antigravity.google/blog/gemini-4-hydrogen-in-google-antigravity)
- [Google Search Upgrade](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/gemini-4-hydrogen-search-upgrade/)
- [HN Discussion](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50471431)