Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs GPT-4oWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is 9.2x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs GPT-4o — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4o (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 outperforms in 7 benchmarks (Aider-Polyglot, Aider-Polyglot Edit, AIME 2024, IFEval, MMLU, MMLU-Pro, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, SimpleQA). DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, DeepSeek-V3 is roughly 9.2x 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 want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 7 of 9 shared benchmarks
  • cost matters — it's about 9.2x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose GPT-4o if…

  • you want predictable pricing at $2.50/M input and $10.00/M output

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

9 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 7 benchmarks (Aider-Polyglot, Aider-Polyglot Edit, AIME 2024, IFEval, MMLU, MMLU-Pro, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, SimpleQA).

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Fri Jul 03 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 9.3x cheaper than GPT-4o ($2.50/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 9.1x cheaper than GPT-4o ($10.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4o is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Fri Jul 03 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
OpenAI
GPT-4o
Input tokens$2.50
Output tokens$10.00
Best providerAzure
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4o's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4o is limited to 16,384 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4o
Input128,000 tokens
Output16,384 tokens
Fri Jul 03 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-4o supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.

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

DeepSeek-V3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-4o

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while GPT-4o 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

GPT-4o

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while GPT-4o was released on 2024-08-06.

DeepSeek-V3 is 5 months newer than GPT-4o.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

4mo newer
GPT-4o

Aug 6, 2024

1.9 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 is available from DeepSeek. GPT-4o is available from Azure, OpenAI.

DeepSeek-V3

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

GPT-4o

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M
openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
Higher Aider-Polyglot score (49.6% vs 30.7%)
Higher Aider-Polyglot Edit score (79.7% vs 18.2%)
Higher AIME 2024 score (39.2% vs 13.1%)
Higher IFEval score (86.1% vs 81.0%)
Higher MMLU score (88.5% vs 85.7%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (75.9% vs 74.7%)
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (42.0% vs 33.2%)
OpenAI
Supports multimodal inputs
Higher GPQA score (70.1% vs 59.1%)
Higher SimpleQA score (38.2% vs 24.9%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 and GPT-4o side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-V3
✓ Preferred
GPT-4o
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
OpenAI
GPT-4o

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs GPT-4o.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or GPT-4o?

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

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to GPT-4o in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. GPT-4o scores AI2D: 94.2%, DocVQA: 92.8%, ChartQA: 85.7%, MMLU: 85.7%, CharXiv-D: 85.3%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than GPT-4o?

DeepSeek-V3 is 9.3x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. GPT-4o costs $2.50/M input and $10.00/M output via azure.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and GPT-4o?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and GPT-4o 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 GPT-4o?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $2.50/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 GPT-4o?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and GPT-4o is developed by OpenAI.

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