Model Comparison

DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Grok-4.1Which is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Grok-4.1 across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Grok-4.1 — which is better?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and Grok-4.1 (by xAI) 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.

On price, DeepSeek-R1-0528 is roughly 6.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Grok-4.1 also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-R1-0528 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 6.6x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-4.1 if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Grok-4.1 don't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

DeepSeek-R1-0528 costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($0.50/1M tokens) is 6.0x cheaper than Grok-4.1 ($3.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($2.15/1M tokens) is 7.0x cheaper than Grok-4.1 ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Grok-4.1 is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1-0528.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jun 06 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
Input tokens$0.50
Output tokens$2.15
Best providerDeepinfra
xAI
Grok-4.1
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerxAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Grok-4.1 accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-R1-0528's 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-4.1 is limited to 8,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
xAI
Grok-4.1
Input256,000 tokens
Output8,000 tokens
Sat Jun 06 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Grok-4.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1-0528 does not.

Grok-4.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok-4.1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while Grok-4.1 uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

MIT

Open weights

Grok-4.1

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-R1-0528 was released on 2025-05-28, while Grok-4.1 was released on 2025-11-17.

Grok-4.1 is 6 months newer than DeepSeek-R1-0528.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

May 28, 2025

1.0 years ago

Grok-4.1

Nov 17, 2025

6 months ago

5mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is available from DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. Grok-4.1 is available from xAI.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.15/1M
deepseek logo
DeepSeek
Input Price:Input: $0.55/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.19/1M
novita logo
Novita
Input Price:Input: $0.70/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.50/1M

Grok-4.1

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
xAI
Larger context window (256,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
xAI
Grok-4.1

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Grok-4.1.

Which is better, DeepSeek-R1-0528 or Grok-4.1?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 (DeepSeek) and Grok-4.1 (xAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does DeepSeek-R1-0528 compare to Grok-4.1 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 scores MMLU-Redux: 93.4%, SimpleQA: 92.3%, AIME 2024: 91.4%, AIME 2025: 87.5%, MMLU-Pro: 85.0%. Grok-4.1 scores FActScore: 97.0%, Creative Writing v3: 85.4%, EQ-Bench: 79.3%, LMArena Text Leaderboard: 73.3%.

Is DeepSeek-R1-0528 cheaper than Grok-4.1?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 6.0x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 costs $0.50/M input and $2.15/M output via deepinfra. Grok-4.1 costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via xai.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Grok-4.1?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 supports 131K tokens and Grok-4.1 supports 256K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Grok-4.1?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 256K), input pricing ($0.50 vs $3.00/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Grok-4.1?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is developed by DeepSeek and Grok-4.1 is developed by xAI.

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