Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs Kimi K3Which is better in 2026?

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is 12.6x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs Kimi K3 — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and Kimi K3 (by Moonshot AI) 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 Kimi K3 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, DeepSeek-V3 is roughly 12.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Kimi K3 also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-V3 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 12.6x cheaper per token
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Kimi K3 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi K3 is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jul 18 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 11.1x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($3.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 13.6x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($15.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Kimi K3 is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input tokens$3.00
Output tokens$15.00
Best providerUnknown Organization
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

2129.0B diff

Kimi K3 has 2129.0B more parameters than DeepSeek-V3, making it 317.3% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
671.0Bparameters
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
2.8Tparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3
2800.0B
Kimi K3

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Kimi K3 accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-V3's 131,072 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while DeepSeek-V3 is limited to 131,072 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output1,048,576 tokens
Sat Jul 18 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Kimi K3 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.

Kimi K3 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-V3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Kimi K3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16.

Kimi K3 is 19 months newer than DeepSeek-V3.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.6 years ago

Kimi K3

Jul 16, 2026

2 days ago

1.6yr 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. Kimi K3 is available from Moonshot AI.

DeepSeek-V3

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

Kimi K3

moonshot logo
Unknown Organization
Input Price:Input: $3.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $15.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Moonshot AI
Larger context window (1,048,576 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
Higher GPQA score (93.5% vs 59.1%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 and Kimi K3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-V3
✓ Preferred
Kimi K3
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Moonshot AI
Kimi K3

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Kimi K3.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or Kimi K3?

Kimi K3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and Kimi K3 is made by Moonshot AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to Kimi K3 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. Kimi K3 scores MathVision: 97.8%, DeepSearchQA: 95.0%, GPQA: 93.5%, CharXiv-R: 91.3%, BrowseComp: 91.2%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than Kimi K3?

DeepSeek-V3 is 11.1x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. Kimi K3 costs $3.00/M input and $15.00/M output via moonshot.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and Kimi K3?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and Kimi K3 supports 1.0M 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 Kimi K3?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 1.0M), input pricing ($0.27 vs $3.00/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs Unknown). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-V3 and Kimi K3?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and Kimi K3 is developed by Moonshot AI.

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