Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4Which is better in 2026?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 41.1x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4 — which is better?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4 (by OpenAI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while GPT-4 is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, DeepSeek-R1-0528 is roughly 41.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose DeepSeek-R1-0528 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 41.1x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped May 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GPT-4 if…
- you want predictable pricing at $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while GPT-4 is better at 0 benchmarks.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($0.50/1M tokens) is 60.0x cheaper than GPT-4 ($30.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($2.15/1M tokens) is 27.9x cheaper than GPT-4 ($60.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4 is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1-0528.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-R1-0528 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4's 32,768 tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4 is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1-0528 does not.
GPT-4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-4 uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-R1-0528 was released on 2025-05-28, while GPT-4 was released on 2023-06-13.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 24 months newer than GPT-4.
May 28, 2025
1.2 years ago
2.0yr newerJun 13, 2023
3.1 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2022-12-31, while DeepSeek-R1-0528's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4's training data extends to 2022-12-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-R1-0528's cutoff date.
—
Dec 2022
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is available from DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. GPT-4 is available from Azure, OpenAI.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-R1-0528
View detailsDeepSeek
GPT-4
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-R1-0528 and GPT-4 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4.