tokevenDeepSeekvsDeepSeek
DeepSeek V3 vs DeepSeek R1
Side-by-side comparison of pricing, task quality, and projected cost at higher scale.
Pricing
Side-by-side pricing
DeepSeek V3
Mid-tierDeepSeek R1
Mid-tierInput $/MTok
$0.27
$0.55
Output $/MTok
$1.10
$2.19
Cache discount
74% off
75% off
Context
164K
128K
Quality
Task confidence comparison
Confidence score from zero to one hundred by task type, where higher is better.
Code Generation
0
vs
0
Code Review
0
vs
0
Summarization
0
vs
0
Q&A
0
vs
0
Extraction
0
vs
0
Reasoning
0
vs
0
Classification
0
vs
0
Creative Writing
0
vs
0
DeepSeek V3
DeepSeek R1
Guidance
When to use DeepSeek V3 vs DeepSeek R1
Choose DeepSeek V3 when...
- -Cost matters: 51% cheaper on input tokens
- -You need a larger context window (164K vs 128K)
Choose DeepSeek R1 when...
- Similar performance; consider provider preference or ecosystem fit.
At scale
Cost at scale
Estimated cost assuming a seventy percent input and thirty percent output token split.
DeepSeek V3
DeepSeek R1
100K tokens
$0.05Cheaper
$0.10
1M tokens
$0.52Cheaper
$1.04
10M tokens
$5.19Cheaper
$10.42
FAQ
When should I use DeepSeek V3 instead of DeepSeek R1?
DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1 perform similarly across all tracked tasks. Pick based on pricing and provider preference.
Is DeepSeek R1 cheaper than DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek R1 input costs $0.55/MTok, which is 104% more than DeepSeek V3 at $0.27/MTok.
What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1?
DeepSeek V3 has a 164K token context window. DeepSeek R1 has a 128K token context window.
Go deeper on either model
Per-call cost calculators, provider lineups, and price history for both models on this page.
Other comparisons
How DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1 stack up against the rest of the field.
Track your real costs
Comparisons show estimated costs at list price. The dashboard reveals your real spend and savings.