Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs DeepSeek VL2 SmallWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-V3 0324 and DeepSeek VL2 Small across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs DeepSeek VL2 Small — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 (by DeepSeek) and DeepSeek VL2 Small (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.

Choose DeepSeek-V3 0324 if…

  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025

Choose DeepSeek VL2 Small if…

  • you are already invested in the DeepSeek ecosystem
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-V3 0324 and DeepSeek VL2 Smalldon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

655.0B diff

DeepSeek-V3 0324 has 655.0B more parameters than DeepSeek VL2 Small, making it 4093.8% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
671.0Bparameters
DeepSeek
DeepSeek VL2 Small
16.0Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3 0324
16.0B
DeepSeek VL2 Small

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Only DeepSeek-V3 0324 specifies input context (163,840 tokens). Only DeepSeek-V3 0324 specifies output context (163,840 tokens).

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
Input163,840 tokens
Output163,840 tokens
DeepSeek
DeepSeek VL2 Small
Input- tokens
Output- tokens
Tue Jun 23 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

DeepSeek VL2 Small supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 0324 does not.

DeepSeek VL2 Small can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-V3 0324

Text
Images
Audio
Video

DeepSeek VL2 Small

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while DeepSeek VL2 Small uses deepseek.

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

DeepSeek-V3 0324

MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed)

Open weights

DeepSeek VL2 Small

deepseek

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 0324 was released on 2025-03-25, while DeepSeek VL2 Small was released on 2024-12-13.

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 3 months newer than DeepSeek VL2 Small.

DeepSeek-V3 0324

Mar 25, 2025

1.2 years ago

3mo newer
DeepSeek VL2 Small

Dec 13, 2024

1.5 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

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (163,840 tokens)
DeepSeek
Supports multimodal inputs

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
DeepSeek
DeepSeek VL2 Small

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs DeepSeek VL2 Small.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 0324 or DeepSeek VL2 Small?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 (DeepSeek) and DeepSeek VL2 Small (DeepSeek) 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-V3 0324 compare to DeepSeek VL2 Small in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 scores MATH-500: 94.0%, MMLU-Pro: 81.2%, GPQA: 68.4%, AIME 2024: 59.4%, LiveCodeBench: 49.2%. DeepSeek VL2 Small scores DocVQA: 92.3%, ChartQA: 84.5%, OCRBench: 83.4%, TextVQA: 83.4%, MMBench: 80.3%.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 0324 and DeepSeek VL2 Small?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 supports 164K tokens and DeepSeek VL2 Small supports an unknown number of tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between DeepSeek-V3 0324 and DeepSeek VL2 Small?

Key differences include multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs deepseek). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

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