Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1 vs GPT OSS 120BWhich is better in 2026?
Comparing DeepSeek-R1 and GPT OSS 120B across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
Verdict: DeepSeek-R1 vs GPT OSS 120B — which is better?
DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) and GPT OSS 120B (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.
On price, GPT OSS 120B is roughly 5.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…
- you want predictable pricing at $0.55/M input and $2.19/M output
Choose GPT OSS 120B if…
- cost matters — it's about 5.3x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2025
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-R1 and GPT OSS 120Bdon'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
For input processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($0.55/1M tokens) is 6.1x more expensive than GPT OSS 120B ($0.09/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($2.19/1M tokens) is 4.9x more expensive than GPT OSS 120B ($0.45/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-R1 is more expensive than GPT OSS 120B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-R1 has 554.2B more parameters than GPT OSS 120B, making it 474.5% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 131,072 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 131,072 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-R1 is licensed under MIT, while GPT OSS 120B uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-R1 was released on 2025-01-20, while GPT OSS 120B was released on 2025-08-05.
GPT OSS 120B is 7 months newer than DeepSeek-R1.
Jan 20, 2025
1.4 years ago
Aug 5, 2025
10 months ago
6mo newerKnowledge 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 is available from DeepSeek, DeepInfra, Together, Fireworks. GPT OSS 120B is available from DeepInfra, Novita, OpenAI, Fireworks, Groq.
DeepSeek-R1
GPT OSS 120B
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-R1
View detailsDeepSeek
No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
GPT OSS 120B
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-R1 vs GPT OSS 120B.