Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Qwen2.5 72B InstructWhich is better in 2026?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Qwen2.5 72B Instruct is 2.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Qwen2.5 72B Instruct — which is better?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and Qwen2.5 72B Instruct (by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) 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 4 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MMLU-Pro, MMLU-Redux), while Qwen2.5 72B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Qwen2.5 72B Instruct is roughly 2.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Choose DeepSeek-R1-0528 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped May 2025
Choose Qwen2.5 72B Instruct if…
- cost matters — it's about 2.5x cheaper per token
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MMLU-Pro, MMLU-Redux), while Qwen2.5 72B Instruct 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 1.4x more expensive than Qwen2.5 72B Instruct ($0.35/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($2.15/1M tokens) is 5.4x more expensive than Qwen2.5 72B Instruct ($0.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-R1-0528 is more expensive than Qwen2.5 72B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-R1-0528 has 598.3B more parameters than Qwen2.5 72B Instruct, making it 823.0% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Qwen2.5 72B Instruct is limited to 8,192 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while Qwen2.5 72B Instruct uses Qwen.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Qwen
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-R1-0528 was released on 2025-05-28, while Qwen2.5 72B Instruct was released on 2024-09-19.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 8 months newer than Qwen2.5 72B Instruct.
May 28, 2025
1.0 years ago
8mo newerSep 19, 2024
1.7 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is available from DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. Qwen2.5 72B Instruct is available from DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Fireworks, Together.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
Qwen2.5 72B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-R1-0528
View detailsDeepSeek
Qwen2.5 72B Instruct
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Qwen2.5 72B Instruct.