DeepSeek R1 Zero vs Gemini 1.5 Pro
DeepSeek R1 Zero significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
DeepSeek · Google · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek R1 Zero outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Gemini 1.5 Pro is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Zero significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek R1 Zero
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jan 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Gemini 1.5 Pro
- you want predictable pricing at $2.50/M input and $10.00/M output
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek R1 Zero outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Gemini 1.5 Pro is better at 0 benchmarks.
DeepSeek R1 Zero significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only Gemini 1.5 Pro specifies input context (2,097,152 tokens). Only Gemini 1.5 Pro specifies output context (8,192 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemini 1.5 Pro supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek R1 Zero does not.
Gemini 1.5 Pro can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek R1 Zero
Gemini 1.5 Pro
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek R1 Zero is licensed under MIT, while Gemini 1.5 Pro uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek R1 Zero was released on 2025-01-20, while Gemini 1.5 Pro was released on 2024-05-01.
DeepSeek R1 Zero is 9 months newer than Gemini 1.5 Pro.
Jan 20, 2025
1.6 years ago
8mo newerMay 1, 2024
2.3 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 1.5 Pro has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-11-01, while DeepSeek R1 Zero's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Gemini 1.5 Pro's training data extends to 2023-11-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek R1 Zero's cutoff date.
—
Nov 2023
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek R1 Zero and Gemini 1.5 Pro side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek R1 Zero vs Gemini 1.5 Pro.