Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs Claude Sonnet 4

Claude Sonnet 4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is 12.6x cheaper per token.

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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Claude Sonnet 4 is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, SWE-Bench Verified).

Claude Sonnet 4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sun May 10 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

DeepSeek-V3 costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 11.1x cheaper than Claude Sonnet 4 ($3.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 13.6x cheaper than Claude Sonnet 4 ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Claude Sonnet 4 is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sun May 10 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
Anthropic
Claude Sonnet 4
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerAnthropic
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Claude Sonnet 4 accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-V3's 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Claude Sonnet 4 is limited to 64,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Anthropic
Claude Sonnet 4
Input200,000 tokens
Output64,000 tokens
Sun May 10 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Claude Sonnet 4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.

Claude Sonnet 4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-V3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Claude Sonnet 4

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Claude Sonnet 4 uses a proprietary license.

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

DeepSeek-V3

MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed)

Open weights

Claude Sonnet 4

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Claude Sonnet 4 was released on 2025-05-22.

Claude Sonnet 4 is 5 months newer than DeepSeek-V3.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.4 years ago

Claude Sonnet 4

May 22, 2025

11 months ago

4mo newer

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 is available from DeepSeek. Claude Sonnet 4 is available from Anthropic, Bedrock, Google.

DeepSeek-V3

deepseek logo
DeepSeek
Input Price:Input: $0.27/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.10/1M

Claude Sonnet 4

anthropic logo
Anthropic
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
bedrock logo
AWS Bedrock
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
google logo
Google
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
Anthropic
Larger context window (200,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
Higher GPQA score (75.4% vs 59.1%)
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (72.7% vs 42.0%)
DeepSeekDeepSeek-V3
AnthropicClaude Sonnet 4
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Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Anthropic
Claude Sonnet 4

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Claude Sonnet 4.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or Claude Sonnet 4?

Claude Sonnet 4 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and Claude Sonnet 4 is made by Anthropic. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to Claude Sonnet 4 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. Claude Sonnet 4 scores MMMLU: 86.5%, TAU-bench Retail: 80.5%, GPQA: 75.4%, MMMU: 74.4%, SWE-Bench Verified: 72.7%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than Claude Sonnet 4?

DeepSeek-V3 is 11.1x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. Claude Sonnet 4 costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via anthropic.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and Claude Sonnet 4?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and Claude Sonnet 4 supports 200K 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 and Claude Sonnet 4?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 200K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $3.00/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-V3 and Claude Sonnet 4?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and Claude Sonnet 4 is developed by Anthropic.