DeepSeek-V2.5 vs Grok-4.1 Thinking
Grok-4.1 Thinking leads the LLM Stats Score 16.0 to 8.1. DeepSeek-V2.5 is 34.3x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · xAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Grok-4.1 Thinking leads the overall LLM Stats Score 16.0 to 8.1, ranking #228 overall.
On price, DeepSeek-V2.5 is roughly 34.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok-4.1 Thinking also accepts a larger context window (256,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek-V2.5
- cost matters — it's about 34.3x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Grok-4.1 Thinking
- overall performance matters — it scores 16.0 and ranks #228 on LLM Stats
- you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Individual benchmarks
15 reported for DeepSeek-V2.5 · 11 for Grok-4.1 Thinking
DeepSeek-V2.5 and Grok-4.1 Thinkingdon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V2.5 ($0.14/1M tokens) is 21.4x cheaper than Grok-4.1 Thinking ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V2.5 ($0.28/1M tokens) is 53.6x cheaper than Grok-4.1 Thinking ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok-4.1 Thinking is more expensive than DeepSeek-V2.5.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok-4.1 Thinking accepts 256,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-V2.5's 8,192 tokens. DeepSeek-V2.5 can generate longer responses up to 8,192 tokens, while Grok-4.1 Thinking is limited to 8,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Grok-4.1 Thinking supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V2.5 does not.
Grok-4.1 Thinking can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-V2.5
Grok-4.1 Thinking
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V2.5 is licensed under deepseek, while Grok-4.1 Thinking uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
deepseek
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V2.5 was released on 2024-05-08, while Grok-4.1 Thinking was released on 2025-11-17.
Grok-4.1 Thinking is 19 months newer than DeepSeek-V2.5.
May 8, 2024
2.4 years ago
Nov 17, 2025
10 months ago
1.5yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V2.5 is available from DeepSeek, DeepInfra, Hyperbolic. Grok-4.1 Thinking is available from xAI.
DeepSeek-V2.5
Grok-4.1 Thinking
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V2.5 and Grok-4.1 Thinking side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V2.5 vs Grok-4.1 Thinking.