Model Comparison

DeepSeek-R1 vs Claude 3.7 SonnetWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-R1 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-R1 vs Claude 3.7 Sonnet — which is better?

DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) and Claude 3.7 Sonnet (by Anthropic) 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 is roughly 6.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Claude 3.7 Sonnet also accepts a larger context window (200,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 6.3x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Claude 3.7 Sonnet if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-R1 and Claude 3.7 Sonnetdon'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 costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($0.55/1M tokens) is 5.5x cheaper than Claude 3.7 Sonnet ($3.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($2.19/1M tokens) is 6.8x cheaper than Claude 3.7 Sonnet ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Claude 3.7 Sonnet is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Thu Jun 18 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input tokens$0.55
Output tokens$2.19
Best providerDeepSeek
Anthropic
Claude 3.7 Sonnet
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerAnthropic
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Claude 3.7 Sonnet accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-R1's 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-R1 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Claude 3.7 Sonnet is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Anthropic
Claude 3.7 Sonnet
Input200,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Thu Jun 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Claude 3.7 Sonnet supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1 does not.

Claude 3.7 Sonnet can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-R1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Claude 3.7 Sonnet

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-R1 is licensed under MIT, while Claude 3.7 Sonnet uses a proprietary license.

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

DeepSeek-R1

MIT

Open weights

Claude 3.7 Sonnet

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-R1 was released on 2025-01-20, while Claude 3.7 Sonnet was released on 2025-02-24.

Claude 3.7 Sonnet is 1 month newer than DeepSeek-R1.

DeepSeek-R1

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

Claude 3.7 Sonnet

Feb 24, 2025

1.3 years ago

1mo 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 is available from DeepSeek, DeepInfra, Together, Fireworks. Claude 3.7 Sonnet is available from Anthropic, Bedrock, Google.

DeepSeek-R1

deepseek logo
DeepSeek
Input Price:Input: $0.55/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.19/1M
deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.85/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.50/1M
together logo
Together
Input Price:Input: $7.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $7.00/1M
fireworks logo
Fireworks
Input Price:Input: $8.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $8.00/1M

Claude 3.7 Sonnet

anthropic logo
Anthropic
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
bedrock logo
AWS Bedrock
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
google logo
Google
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
Anthropic
Larger context window (200,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
DeepSeekDeepSeek-R1
AnthropicClaude 3.7 Sonnet
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Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Anthropic
Claude 3.7 Sonnet

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-R1 vs Claude 3.7 Sonnet.

Which is better, DeepSeek-R1 or Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

DeepSeek-R1 (DeepSeek) and Claude 3.7 Sonnet (Anthropic) 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 compare to Claude 3.7 Sonnet in benchmarks?

Claude 3.7 Sonnet scores MATH-500: 96.2%, IFEval: 93.2%, MMMLU: 86.1%, GPQA: 84.8%, TAU-bench Retail: 81.2%.

Is DeepSeek-R1 cheaper than Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

DeepSeek-R1 is 5.5x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-R1 costs $0.55/M input and $2.19/M output via deepseek. Claude 3.7 Sonnet costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via anthropic.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-R1 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

DeepSeek-R1 supports 131K tokens and Claude 3.7 Sonnet supports 200K 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 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 200K), input pricing ($0.55 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 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

DeepSeek-R1 is developed by DeepSeek and Claude 3.7 Sonnet is developed by Anthropic.

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