Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3 vs Phi-3.5-mini-instructWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is 4.8x cheaper per token.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3 vs Phi-3.5-mini-instruct — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct (by Microsoft) 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 Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is roughly 4.8x 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 3 of 3 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

Choose Phi-3.5-mini-instruct if…

  • cost matters — it's about 4.8x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

3 benchmarks

DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MMLU, MMLU-Pro), while Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sun Jul 05 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

Phi-3.5-mini-instruct costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 2.7x more expensive than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 11.0x more expensive than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct ($0.10/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3 is more expensive than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sun Jul 05 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input tokens$0.27
Output tokens$1.10
Best providerDeepSeek
Microsoft
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.10
Best providerAzure
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

667.2B diff

DeepSeek-V3 has 667.2B more parameters than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct, making it 17557.9% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
671.0Bparameters
Microsoft
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct
3.8Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-V3
3.8B
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Phi-3.5-mini-instruct's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is limited to 128,000 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Microsoft
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct
Input128,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Sun Jul 05 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Phi-3.5-mini-instruct 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

Phi-3.5-mini-instruct

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Phi-3.5-mini-instruct was released on 2024-08-23.

DeepSeek-V3 is 4 months newer than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct.

DeepSeek-V3

Dec 25, 2024

1.5 years ago

4mo newer
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct

Aug 23, 2024

1.9 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

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-V3 is available from DeepSeek. Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is available from Azure.

DeepSeek-V3

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

Phi-3.5-mini-instruct

azure logo
Azure
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.10/1M
* 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)
Higher GPQA score (59.1% vs 30.4%)
Higher MMLU score (88.5% vs 69.0%)
Higher MMLU-Pro score (75.9% vs 47.4%)
Microsoft
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-V3
✓ Preferred
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3
Microsoft
Phi-3.5-mini-instruct

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Phi-3.5-mini-instruct.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3 or Phi-3.5-mini-instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is made by DeepSeek and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is made by Microsoft. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-V3 compare to Phi-3.5-mini-instruct in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3 scores DROP: 91.6%, CLUEWSC: 90.9%, MATH-500: 90.2%, MMLU-Redux: 89.1%, MMLU: 88.5%. Phi-3.5-mini-instruct scores GSM8k: 86.2%, ARC-C: 84.6%, RULER: 84.1%, PIQA: 81.0%, OpenBookQA: 79.2%.

Is DeepSeek-V3 cheaper than Phi-3.5-mini-instruct?

Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is 2.7x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3 costs $0.27/M input and $1.10/M output via deepseek. Phi-3.5-mini-instruct costs $0.10/M input and $0.10/M output via azure.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3 and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 supports 131K tokens and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct 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 Phi-3.5-mini-instruct?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 128K), input pricing ($0.27 vs $0.10/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 Phi-3.5-mini-instruct?

DeepSeek-V3 is developed by DeepSeek and Phi-3.5-mini-instruct is developed by Microsoft.

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