Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs Llama 3.2 3B InstructWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is 39.6x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs Llama 3.2 3B Instruct — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 (by DeepSeek) and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct (by Meta) 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.

DeepSeek-V3 0324 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 0324 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is roughly 39.6x 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.

Choose DeepSeek-V3 0324 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • 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 3.2 3B Instruct if…

  • cost matters — it's about 39.6x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 0324 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.

DeepSeek-V3 0324 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Llama 3.2 3B Instruct costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($0.28/1M tokens) is 28.0x more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct ($0.01/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($1.14/1M tokens) is 57.0x more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct ($0.02/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3 0324 is more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
Input tokens$0.28
Output tokens$1.14
Best providerNovita
Meta
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
Input tokens$0.01
Output tokens$0.02
Best providerDeepinfra
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

667.8B diff

DeepSeek-V3 0324 has 667.8B more parameters than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct, making it 20803.4% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
671.0Bparameters
Meta
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
3.2Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3 0324
3.2B
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-V3 0324 accepts 163,840 input tokens compared to Llama 3.2 3B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 0324 can generate longer responses up to 163,840 tokens, while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
Input163,840 tokens
Output163,840 tokens
Meta
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct uses Llama 3.2 Community License.

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

Llama 3.2 3B Instruct

Llama 3.2 Community License

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 0324 was released on 2025-03-25, while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct was released on 2024-09-25.

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 6 months newer than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.

DeepSeek-V3 0324

Mar 25, 2025

1.3 years ago

6mo newer
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct

Sep 25, 2024

1.8 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

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is available from Novita. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is available from DeepInfra.

DeepSeek-V3 0324

novita logo
Novita
Input Price:Input: $0.28/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.14/1M

Llama 3.2 3B Instruct

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.01/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.02/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (163,840 tokens)
Higher GPQA score (68.4% vs 32.8%)
Meta
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-V3 0324
✓ Preferred
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3 0324
Meta
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 0324 or Llama 3.2 3B Instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 0324 is made by DeepSeek and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is made by Meta. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 0324 compare to Llama 3.2 3B Instruct in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 scores MATH-500: 94.0%, MMLU-Pro: 81.2%, GPQA: 68.4%, AIME 2024: 59.4%, LiveCodeBench: 49.2%. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct scores NIH/Multi-needle: 84.7%, ARC-C: 78.6%, GSM8k: 77.7%, IFEval: 77.4%, HellaSwag: 69.8%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 0324 cheaper than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct?

Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is 28.0x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 0324 costs $0.28/M input and $1.14/M output via novita. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct costs $0.01/M input and $0.02/M output via deepinfra.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 supports 164K tokens and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct supports 128K 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 Llama 3.2 3B Instruct?

Key differences include context window (164K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.28 vs $0.01/M), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs Llama 3.2 Community License). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-V3 0324 and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 0324 is developed by DeepSeek and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is developed by Meta.

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