DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs Llama 3.1 405B Instruct
DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.1 405B Instruct are closely matched at 13.4 and 14.7 on the LLM Stats Score. DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 2.2x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Meta · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.1 405B Instruct are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 13.4 and 14.7.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V3 0324 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, DeepSeek-V3 0324 is roughly 2.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-V3 0324 also accepts a larger context window (163,840 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-V3 0324
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 2.2x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 163,840 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
Choose Llama 3.1 405B Instruct
- you want predictable pricing at $0.89/M input and $0.89/M output
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
5 reported for DeepSeek-V3 0324 · 18 for Llama 3.1 405B Instruct
DeepSeek-V3 0324 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU-Pro), while Llama 3.1 405B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.
DeepSeek-V3 0324 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($0.24/1M tokens) is 3.7x cheaper than Llama 3.1 405B Instruct ($0.89/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($0.90/1M tokens) is 1.0x more expensive than Llama 3.1 405B Instruct ($0.89/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Llama 3.1 405B Instruct is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3 0324.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-V3 0324 has 266.0B more parameters than Llama 3.1 405B Instruct, making it 65.7% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V3 0324 accepts 163,840 input tokens compared to Llama 3.1 405B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 0324 can generate longer responses up to 163,840 tokens, while Llama 3.1 405B Instruct is limited to 128,000 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Llama 3.1 405B Instruct uses Llama 3.1 Community License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed)
Open weights
Llama 3.1 Community License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V3 0324 was released on 2025-03-25, while Llama 3.1 405B Instruct was released on 2024-07-23.
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 8 months newer than Llama 3.1 405B Instruct.
Mar 25, 2025
1.5 years ago
8mo newerJul 23, 2024
2.2 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is available from DeepInfra, Novita. Llama 3.1 405B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Fireworks, Bedrock, Together, Hyperbolic, Google, Replicate.
DeepSeek-V3 0324
Llama 3.1 405B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.1 405B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs Llama 3.1 405B Instruct.