DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs Inkling-Small
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max leads the LLM Stats Score 43.1 to 38.5. Inkling-Small is 3.1x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Thinking Machines Lab · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max leads the overall LLM Stats Score 43.1 to 38.5, ranking #43 overall.
In the 7 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max wins 4; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Inkling-Small is roughly 3.1x 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
- overall performance matters — it scores 43.1 and ranks #43 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 4 of 7 exact shared results
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
Choose Inkling-Small
- cost matters — it's about 3.1x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 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 · 24 for Inkling-Small
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max outperforms in 4 benchmarks (BrowseComp, GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam, SWE-Bench Verified), while Inkling-Small is better at 3 benchmarks (MCP Atlas, SWE-Bench Pro, Toolathlon).
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
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 4.3x more expensive than Inkling-Small ($0.30/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max ($2.60/1M tokens) is 2.2x more expensive than Inkling-Small ($1.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is more expensive than Inkling-Small.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max has 1324.0B more parameters than Inkling-Small, making it 479.7% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Inkling-Small's 256,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Inkling-Small is limited to 256,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Inkling-Small supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max does not.
Inkling-Small can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
Inkling-Small
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is licensed under MIT, while Inkling-Small uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max was released on 2026-04-23, while Inkling-Small was released on 2026-07-30.
Inkling-Small is 3 months newer than DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max.
Apr 23, 2026
5 months ago
Jul 30, 2026
1 months ago
3mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is available from DeepInfra, Novita, DeepSeek, Fireworks, Together. Inkling-Small is available from Thinking Machines Lab, DeepInfra.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
Inkling-Small
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max and Inkling-Small side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs Inkling-Small.