Model Comparison

DeepSeek R1 Zero vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14BWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek R1 Zero shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Verdict: DeepSeek R1 Zero vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B — which is better?

DeepSeek R1 Zero (by DeepSeek) and DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B (by DeepSeek) 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 Zero outperforms in 3 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, MATH-500), while DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B is better at 1 benchmark (LiveCodeBench). DeepSeek R1 Zero shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Choose DeepSeek R1 Zero if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 4 shared benchmarks

Choose DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B if…

  • you are already invested in the DeepSeek ecosystem
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

4 benchmarks

DeepSeek R1 Zero outperforms in 3 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, MATH-500), while DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B is better at 1 benchmark (LiveCodeBench).

DeepSeek R1 Zero shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Sat Jun 20 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

656.2B diff

DeepSeek R1 Zero has 656.2B more parameters than DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B, making it 4433.8% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Zero
671.0Bparameters
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B
14.8Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek R1 Zero
14.8B
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under MIT.

Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.

DeepSeek R1 Zero

MIT

Open weights

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Both models were released on 2025-01-20.

They likely represent similar generations of model development.

DeepSeek R1 Zero

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 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

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Higher AIME 2024 score (86.7% vs 80.0%)
Higher GPQA score (73.3% vs 59.1%)
Higher MATH-500 score (95.9% vs 93.9%)
DeepSeek
Higher LiveCodeBench score (53.1% vs 50.0%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Zero
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek R1 Zero vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B.

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 Zero or DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B?

DeepSeek R1 Zero shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Zero is made by DeepSeek and DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B is made by DeepSeek. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek R1 Zero compare to DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B in benchmarks?

DeepSeek R1 Zero scores MATH-500: 95.9%, AIME 2024: 86.7%, GPQA: 73.3%, LiveCodeBench: 50.0%. DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B scores MATH-500: 93.9%, AIME 2024: 80.0%, GPQA: 59.1%, LiveCodeBench: 53.1%.

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