Model Comparison

DeepSeek-R1 vs Mistral Large 2Which is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-R1 and Mistral Large 2 across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-R1 vs Mistral Large 2 — which is better?

DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) and Mistral Large 2 (by Mistral AI) 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 3.1x 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…

  • cost matters — it's about 3.1x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jan 2025

Choose Mistral Large 2 if…

  • you want predictable pricing at $2.00/M input and $6.00/M output
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-R1 and Mistral Large 2don'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 3.6x cheaper than Mistral Large 2 ($2.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-R1 ($2.19/1M tokens) is 2.7x cheaper than Mistral Large 2 ($6.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Mistral Large 2 is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Mon Jun 15 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input tokens$0.55
Output tokens$2.19
Best providerDeepSeek
Mistral AI
Mistral Large 2
Input tokens$2.00
Output tokens$6.00
Best providerGoogle
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

548.0B diff

DeepSeek-R1 has 548.0B more parameters than Mistral Large 2, making it 445.5% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
671.0Bparameters
Mistral AI
Mistral Large 2
123.0Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-R1
123.0B
Mistral Large 2

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-R1 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Mistral Large 2's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-R1 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Mistral Large 2 is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Mistral AI
Mistral Large 2
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Mon Jun 15 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-R1 is licensed under MIT, while Mistral Large 2 uses Mistral Research License.

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

DeepSeek-R1

MIT

Open weights

Mistral Large 2

Mistral Research License

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-R1 was released on 2025-01-20, while Mistral Large 2 was released on 2024-07-24.

DeepSeek-R1 is 6 months newer than Mistral Large 2.

DeepSeek-R1

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

6mo newer
Mistral Large 2

Jul 24, 2024

1.9 years ago

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. Mistral Large 2 is available from Google, Mistral AI.

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

Mistral Large 2

google logo
Google
Input Price:Input: $2.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $6.00/1M
mistral logo
Mistral
Input Price:Input: $2.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $6.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Mistral AI

No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Mistral AI
Mistral Large 2

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-R1 vs Mistral Large 2.

Which is better, DeepSeek-R1 or Mistral Large 2?

DeepSeek-R1 (DeepSeek) and Mistral Large 2 (Mistral AI) 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 Mistral Large 2 in benchmarks?

Mistral Large 2 scores GSM8k: 93.0%, HumanEval: 92.0%, MT-Bench: 86.3%, MMLU: 84.0%, MMLU French: 82.8%.

Is DeepSeek-R1 cheaper than Mistral Large 2?

DeepSeek-R1 is 3.6x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-R1 costs $0.55/M input and $2.19/M output via deepseek. Mistral Large 2 costs $2.00/M input and $6.00/M output via google.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-R1 and Mistral Large 2?

DeepSeek-R1 supports 131K tokens and Mistral Large 2 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 Mistral Large 2?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.55 vs $2.00/M), licensing (MIT vs Mistral Research License). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-R1 and Mistral Large 2?

DeepSeek-R1 is developed by DeepSeek and Mistral Large 2 is developed by Mistral AI.

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