Model Comparison

DeepSeek-R1 vs Grok-3 MiniWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-R1 and Grok-3 Mini across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-R1 vs Grok-3 Mini — which is better?

DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) and Grok-3 Mini (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, Grok-3 Mini is roughly 2.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

DeepSeek-R1 also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-3 Mini if…

  • cost matters — it's about 2.7x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2025

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-R1 and Grok-3 Minidon'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

Grok-3 Mini costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($0.55/1M tokens) is 1.8x more expensive than Grok-3 Mini ($0.30/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($2.19/1M tokens) is 4.4x more expensive than Grok-3 Mini ($0.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-R1 is more expensive than Grok-3 Mini.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input tokens$0.55
Output tokens$2.19
Best providerDeepSeek
xAI
Grok-3 Mini
Input tokens$0.30
Output tokens$0.50
Best providerxAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-R1 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Grok-3 Mini's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-R1 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-3 Mini is limited to 8,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
xAI
Grok-3 Mini
Input128,000 tokens
Output8,000 tokens
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Grok-3 Mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1 does not.

Grok-3 Mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-R1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok-3 Mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-R1 is licensed under MIT, while Grok-3 Mini 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

Grok-3 Mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-R1 was released on 2025-01-20, while Grok-3 Mini was released on 2025-02-17.

Grok-3 Mini is 1 month newer than DeepSeek-R1.

DeepSeek-R1

Jan 20, 2025

1.5 years ago

Grok-3 Mini

Feb 17, 2025

1.4 years ago

4w newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Grok-3 Mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-11-17, while DeepSeek-R1's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm Grok-3 Mini's training data extends to 2024-11-17, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-R1's cutoff date.

DeepSeek-R1

—

Grok-3 Mini

Nov 2024

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-R1 is available from DeepSeek, DeepInfra, Together, Fireworks. Grok-3 Mini is available from xAI.

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

Grok-3 Mini

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $0.30/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.50/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
Has open weights
xAI
Supports multimodal inputs
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
DeepSeekDeepSeek-R1
xAIGrok-3 Mini
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Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-R1 and Grok-3 Mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-R1
✓ Preferred
Grok-3 Mini
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
xAI
Grok-3 Mini

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-R1 vs Grok-3 Mini.

Which is better, DeepSeek-R1 or Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-R1 (DeepSeek) and Grok-3 Mini (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 compare to Grok-3 Mini in benchmarks?

Grok-3 Mini scores AIME 2024: 95.8%, AIME 2025: 90.8%, GPQA: 84.0%, LiveCodeBench: 80.4%.

Is DeepSeek-R1 cheaper than Grok-3 Mini?

Grok-3 Mini is 1.8x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-R1 costs $0.55/M input and $2.19/M output via deepseek. Grok-3 Mini costs $0.30/M input and $0.50/M output via xai.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-R1 and Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-R1 supports 131K tokens and Grok-3 Mini supports 128K 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 Grok-3 Mini?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.55 vs $0.30/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 Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-R1 is developed by DeepSeek and Grok-3 Mini is developed by xAI.

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