They are very similar however each has its own special properties. Floating Medium will allow the paint to move further. This allows you to be able to make longer strokes. If double loaded with a color it allow for perfect shading and floating of color. Using too much Floating Medium during blending will cause the paint to lift and be moved. This is a good thing to know if you need to “clean up” and edge. Blending Gel extends the open time of paint making it cooperative to extra strokes needed for blending. The area can be “worked’ without causing the paint to lift and move. Blending Gel will not allow stokes to go further like Floating Medium will.