Model Comparison
DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs o3-miniWhich is better in 2026?
o3-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 3.9x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs o3-mini — which is better?
DeepSeek-V3 0324 (by DeepSeek) and o3-mini (by OpenAI) 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 0 benchmarks, while o3-mini is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA). o3-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, DeepSeek-V3 0324 is roughly 3.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
o3-mini also accepts a larger context window (200,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose DeepSeek-V3 0324 if…
- cost matters — it's about 3.9x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose o3-mini if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-V3 0324 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while o3-mini is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA).
o3-mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($0.28/1M tokens) is 3.9x cheaper than o3-mini ($1.10/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 0324 ($1.14/1M tokens) is 3.9x cheaper than o3-mini ($4.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o3-mini is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3 0324.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
o3-mini accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-V3 0324's 163,840 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 0324 can generate longer responses up to 163,840 tokens, while o3-mini is limited to 100,000 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while o3-mini uses a proprietary 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
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V3 0324 was released on 2025-03-25, while o3-mini was released on 2025-01-30.
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is 2 months newer than o3-mini.
Mar 25, 2025
1.3 years ago
1mo newerJan 30, 2025
1.5 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
o3-mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-09-30, while DeepSeek-V3 0324's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm o3-mini's training data extends to 2023-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V3 0324's cutoff date.
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Sep 2023
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V3 0324 is available from Novita. o3-mini is available from Azure, OpenAI.
DeepSeek-V3 0324
o3-mini
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-V3 0324
View detailsDeepSeek
o3-mini
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 0324 and o3-mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 0324 vs o3-mini.