Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs LongCat-Flash-ChatWhich is better in 2026?

LongCat-Flash-Chat significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is 1.1x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs LongCat-Flash-Chat — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and LongCat-Flash-Chat (by Meituan) 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 1 benchmarks (DROP), while LongCat-Flash-Chat is better at 7 benchmarks (GPQA, IFEval, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500, MMLU, MMLU-Pro, SWE-Bench Verified). LongCat-Flash-Chat significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, DeepSeek-V3 is roughly 1.1x 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…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.1x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window

Choose LongCat-Flash-Chat if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 7 of 8 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2025
Want to compare interactively?Try the playground

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

8 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (DROP), while LongCat-Flash-Chat is better at 7 benchmarks (GPQA, IFEval, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500, MMLU, MMLU-Pro, SWE-Bench Verified).

LongCat-Flash-Chat significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Fri Jun 12 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 1.1x cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Chat ($0.30/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 1.1x cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Chat ($1.20/1M tokens).

In conclusion, LongCat-Flash-Chat is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Fri Jun 12 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Chat
Input tokens$0.30
Output tokens$1.20
Best providerMeituan
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

111.0B diff

DeepSeek-V3 has 111.0B more parameters than LongCat-Flash-Chat, making it 19.8% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
671.0Bparameters
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Chat
560.0Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3
560.0B
LongCat-Flash-Chat

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to LongCat-Flash-Chat's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while LongCat-Flash-Chat is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Chat
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Fri Jun 12 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while LongCat-Flash-Chat uses MIT.

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

LongCat-Flash-Chat

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while LongCat-Flash-Chat was released on 2025-08-29.

LongCat-Flash-Chat is 8 months newer than DeepSeek-V3.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

LongCat-Flash-Chat

Aug 29, 2025

9 months ago

8mo 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. LongCat-Flash-Chat is available from Meituan.

DeepSeek-V3

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

LongCat-Flash-Chat

meituan logo
Meituan
Input Price:Input: $0.30/1MOutput Price:Output: $1.20/1M
* 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
Less expensive output tokens
Higher DROP score (91.6% vs 79.1%)
Meituan
Higher GPQA score (73.2% vs 59.1%)
Higher IFEval score (89.6% vs 86.1%)
Higher LiveCodeBench score (48.0% vs 37.6%)
Higher MATH-500 score (96.4% vs 90.2%)
Higher MMLU score (89.7% vs 88.5%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (82.7% vs 75.9%)
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (60.4% vs 42.0%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Chat

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs LongCat-Flash-Chat.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or LongCat-Flash-Chat?

LongCat-Flash-Chat significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and LongCat-Flash-Chat is made by Meituan. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to LongCat-Flash-Chat in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. LongCat-Flash-Chat scores MATH-500: 96.4%, MMLU: 89.7%, IFEval: 89.6%, ZebraLogic: 89.3%, HumanEval: 88.4%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Chat?

DeepSeek-V3 is 1.1x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. LongCat-Flash-Chat costs $0.30/M input and $1.20/M output via meituan.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and LongCat-Flash-Chat?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and LongCat-Flash-Chat 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 LongCat-Flash-Chat?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $0.30/M), licensing (MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed) vs MIT). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-V3 and LongCat-Flash-Chat?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and LongCat-Flash-Chat is developed by Meituan.

Related comparisons