DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs Gemini 3.5 Flash
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max and Gemini 3.5 Flash are closely matched at 43.0 and 42.4 on the LLM Stats Score. DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is 2.1x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Google · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max and Gemini 3.5 Flash are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 43.0 and 42.4.
In the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Gemini 3.5 Flash wins 4; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is roughly 2.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
- cost matters — it's about 2.1x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 4 of 6 exact shared results
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped May 2026
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
22 reported for DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max · 16 for Gemini 3.5 Flash
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max outperforms in 2 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam, SWE-Bench Pro), while Gemini 3.5 Flash is better at 4 benchmarks (LiveBench, MCP Atlas, Terminal-Bench 2.0, Toolathlon).
Gemini 3.5 Flash shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max ($1.30/1M tokens) is 1.2x cheaper than Gemini 3.5 Flash ($1.50/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max ($2.60/1M tokens) is 3.5x cheaper than Gemini 3.5 Flash ($9.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Gemini 3.5 Flash is more expensive than DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Gemini 3.5 Flash's 1,000,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Gemini 3.5 Flash is limited to 1,000,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Gemini 3.5 Flash supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max does not.
Gemini 3.5 Flash can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
Gemini 3.5 Flash
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is licensed under MIT, while Gemini 3.5 Flash uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max was released on 2026-04-23, while Gemini 3.5 Flash was released on 2026-05-19.
Gemini 3.5 Flash is 1 month newer than DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max.
Apr 23, 2026
5 months ago
May 19, 2026
4 months ago
3w newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.5 Flash has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-01-31, while DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Gemini 3.5 Flash's training data extends to 2026-01-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max's cutoff date.
—
Jan 2026
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is available from DeepInfra, Novita, DeepSeek, Fireworks, Together. Gemini 3.5 Flash is available from DeepInfra, Google.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
Gemini 3.5 Flash
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max and Gemini 3.5 Flash side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs Gemini 3.5 Flash.