Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-3 MiniWhich is better in 2026?

Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Grok-3 Mini is 1.4x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-3 Mini — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and Grok-3 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 0 benchmarks, while Grok-3 Mini is better at 3 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, LiveCodeBench). Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Grok-3 Mini is roughly 1.4x 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
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-3 Mini if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
  • cost matters — it's about 1.4x cheaper per token
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2025
Want to compare interactively?Try the playground

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

3 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Grok-3 Mini is better at 3 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, LiveCodeBench).

Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Jun 09 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Grok-3 Mini costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 1.1x cheaper than Grok-3 Mini ($0.30/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 2.2x more expensive than Grok-3 Mini ($0.50/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3 is more expensive than Grok-3 Mini.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jun 09 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
xAI
Grok-3 Mini
Input tokens$0.30
Output tokens$0.50
Best providerxAI
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 Grok-3 Mini's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Grok-3 Mini is limited to 8,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
xAI
Grok-3 Mini
Input128,000 tokens
Output8,000 tokens
Tue Jun 09 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Grok-3 Mini supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.

Grok-3 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-3 Mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Grok-3 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-3 Mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Grok-3 Mini was released on 2025-02-17.

Grok-3 Mini is 2 months newer than DeepSeek-V3.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

Grok-3 Mini

Feb 17, 2025

1.3 years ago

1mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Grok-3 Mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-11-17, while DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm Grok-3 Mini's training data extends to 2024-11-17, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date.

DeepSeek-V3

—

Grok-3 Mini

Nov 2024

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-V3 is available from DeepSeek. Grok-3 Mini is available from xAI.

DeepSeek-V3

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

Grok-3 Mini

xai logo
xAI
Input Price:Input: $0.30/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.50/1M
* 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)
Less expensive input tokens
Has open weights
xAI
Supports multimodal inputs
Less expensive output tokens
Higher AIME 2024 score (95.8% vs 39.2%)
Higher GPQA score (84.0% vs 59.1%)
Higher LiveCodeBench score (80.4% vs 37.6%)
DeepSeekDeepSeek-V3
xAIGrok-3 Mini
Compare in Playground

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
xAI
Grok-3 Mini

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Grok-3 Mini.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or Grok-3 Mini?

Grok-3 Mini significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and Grok-3 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-3 Mini in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. Grok-3 Mini scores AIME 2024: 95.8%, AIME 2025: 90.8%, GPQA: 84.0%, LiveCodeBench: 80.4%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-V3 is 1.1x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. Grok-3 Mini costs $0.30/M input and $0.50/M output via xai.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and Grok-3 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 Grok-3 Mini?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $0.30/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 Grok-3 Mini?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and Grok-3 Mini is developed by xAI.

Related comparisons