Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4o miniWhich is better in 2026?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o mini is 3.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4o mini — which is better?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4o mini (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 2 benchmarks (GPQA, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o mini is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GPT-4o mini is roughly 3.5x 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 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- 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-4o mini if…
- cost matters — it's about 3.5x cheaper per token
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o mini 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 3.3x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($2.15/1M tokens) is 3.6x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-R1-0528 is more expensive than GPT-4o mini.*
* 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-4o mini's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4o mini is limited to 16,384 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4o mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1-0528 does not.
GPT-4o mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4o mini
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-4o mini 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-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 10 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
May 28, 2025
1.1 years ago
10mo newerJul 18, 2024
1.9 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4o mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while DeepSeek-R1-0528's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4o mini's training data extends to 2023-10-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-R1-0528's cutoff date.
—
Oct 2023
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is available from DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. GPT-4o mini is available from Azure.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4o mini
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-R1-0528
View detailsDeepSeek
GPT-4o mini
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4o mini.