Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70BWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is 2.7x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B (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.

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is better at 4 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500). DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is roughly 2.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

DeepSeek-V3 also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-V3 if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window

Choose DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
  • cost matters — it's about 2.7x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jan 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

4 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is better at 4 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500).

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 2.7x more expensive than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 2.8x more expensive than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B ($0.40/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3 is more expensive than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.40
Best providerDeepinfra
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

600.4B diff

DeepSeek-V3 has 600.4B more parameters than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B, making it 850.4% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
671.0Bparameters
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B
70.6Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3
70.6B
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B uses MIT.

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

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B was released on 2025-01-20.

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is 1 month newer than DeepSeek-V3.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

3w 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. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is available from DeepInfra.

DeepSeek-V3

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

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B

deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.40/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
DeepSeek
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Higher AIME 2024 score (86.7% vs 39.2%)
Higher GPQA score (65.2% vs 59.1%)
Higher LiveCodeBench score (57.5% vs 37.6%)
Higher MATH-500 score (94.5% vs 90.2%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is made by DeepSeek. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B scores MATH-500: 94.5%, AIME 2024: 86.7%, GPQA: 65.2%, LiveCodeBench: 57.5%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B is 2.7x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B costs $0.10/M input and $0.40/M output via deepinfra.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B 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 and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $0.10/M), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs MIT). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

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