Model Comparison

DeepSeek R1 Zero vs Kimi K2-Instruct-0905

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

4 benchmarks

DeepSeek R1 Zero outperforms in 1 benchmarks (AIME 2024), while Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 is better at 3 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500).

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Fri May 15 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

329.0B diff

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 has 329.0B more parameters than DeepSeek R1 Zero, making it 49.0% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Zero
671.0Bparameters
Moonshot AI
Kimi K2-Instruct-0905
1.0Tparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek R1 Zero
1000.0B
Kimi K2-Instruct-0905

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

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek R1 Zero was released on 2025-01-20, while Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 was released on 2025-09-05.

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 is 8 months newer than DeepSeek R1 Zero.

DeepSeek R1 Zero

Jan 20, 2025

1.3 years ago

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905

Sep 5, 2025

8 months ago

7mo newer

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 69.6%)
Moonshot AI
Higher GPQA score (75.1% vs 73.3%)
Higher LiveCodeBench score (53.7% vs 50.0%)
Higher MATH-500 score (97.4% vs 95.9%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Zero
Moonshot AI
Kimi K2-Instruct-0905

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek R1 Zero vs Kimi K2-Instruct-0905.

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 Zero or Kimi K2-Instruct-0905?

Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Zero is made by DeepSeek and Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 is made by Moonshot AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek R1 Zero compare to Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek R1 Zero scores MATH-500: 95.9%, AIME 2024: 86.7%, GPQA: 73.3%, LiveCodeBench: 50.0%. Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 scores MATH-500: 97.4%, MMLU-Redux: 92.7%, IFEval: 89.8%, AutoLogi: 89.5%, MMLU: 89.5%.

Who makes DeepSeek R1 Zero and Kimi K2-Instruct-0905?

DeepSeek R1 Zero is developed by DeepSeek and Kimi K2-Instruct-0905 is developed by Moonshot AI.