Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-2 miniWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-2 mini — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and Grok-2 mini (by xAI) 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 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU, MMLU-Pro), while Grok-2 mini is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose DeepSeek-V3 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-2 mini if…

  • you are already invested in the xAI ecosystem
Want to compare interactively?Try the playground

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

3 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU, MMLU-Pro), while Grok-2 mini is better at 0 benchmarks.

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Jun 09 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Only DeepSeek-V3 specifies input context (131,072 tokens). Only DeepSeek-V3 specifies output context (131,072 tokens).

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
xAI
Grok-2 mini
Input- tokens
Output- tokens
Tue Jun 09 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Grok-2 mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.

Grok-2 mini can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-V3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok-2 mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Grok-2 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

Grok-2 mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Grok-2 mini was released on 2024-08-13.

DeepSeek-V3 is 4 months newer than Grok-2 mini.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

4mo newer
Grok-2 mini

Aug 13, 2024

1.8 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

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
Has open weights
Higher GPQA score (59.1% vs 51.0%)
Higher MMLU score (88.5% vs 86.2%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (75.9% vs 72.0%)
xAI
Supports multimodal inputs

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
xAI
Grok-2 mini

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-2 mini.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or Grok-2 mini?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and Grok-2 mini is made by xAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to Grok-2 mini in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. Grok-2 mini scores DocVQA: 93.2%, MMLU: 86.2%, HumanEval: 85.7%, MATH: 73.0%, MMLU-Pro: 72.0%.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and Grok-2 mini?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and Grok-2 mini supports an unknown number of 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 Grok-2 mini?

Key differences include 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 Grok-2 mini?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and Grok-2 mini is developed by xAI.

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