Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs GPT-4o miniWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o mini is 1.8x cheaper per token.

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

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4o 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 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MMLU, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o mini is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, GPT-4o mini is roughly 1.8x 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 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
  • 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 mini if…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.8x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

4 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MMLU, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4o mini is better at 0 benchmarks.

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 04 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4o mini costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 1.8x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.15/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 1.8x more expensive than GPT-4o mini ($0.60/1M tokens).

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

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jul 04 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
OpenAI
GPT-4o mini
Input tokens$0.15
Output tokens$0.60
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 mini's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4o mini is limited to 16,384 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4o mini
Input128,000 tokens
Output16,384 tokens
Sat Jul 04 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

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

GPT-4o mini 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 mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

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

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.

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

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

5mo newer
GPT-4o mini

Jul 18, 2024

2.0 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4o mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-4o mini's training data extends to 2023-10-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date.

DeepSeek-V3

—

GPT-4o mini

Oct 2023

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-V3 is available from DeepSeek. GPT-4o mini is available from Azure.

DeepSeek-V3

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

GPT-4o mini

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $0.15/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.60/1M
* 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)
Has open weights
Higher DROP score (91.6% vs 79.7%)
Higher GPQA score (59.1% vs 40.2%)
Higher MMLU score (88.5% vs 82.0%)
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (42.0% vs 8.7%)
OpenAI
Supports multimodal inputs
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

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

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

FAQ

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

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

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and GPT-4o mini 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 mini in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. GPT-4o mini scores HumanEval: 87.2%, MGSM: 87.0%, MMLU: 82.0%, DROP: 79.7%, MATH: 70.2%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than GPT-4o mini?

GPT-4o mini is 1.8x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. GPT-4o mini costs $0.15/M input and $0.60/M output via azure.

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

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

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $0.15/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 mini?

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

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