Model Comparison
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs MiniMax M3Which is better in 2026?
MiniMax M3 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. MiniMax M3 is 3.8x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs MiniMax M3 — which is better?
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max (by DeepSeek) and MiniMax M3 (by MiniMax) 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-V4-Pro-Max outperforms in 2 benchmarks (LiveBench, SWE-Bench Verified), while MiniMax M3 is better at 4 benchmarks (BrowseComp, GDPval-AA, MCP Atlas, SWE-Bench Pro). MiniMax M3 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, MiniMax M3 is roughly 3.8x 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.
Choose DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
Choose MiniMax M3 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 6 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 3.8x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jun 2026
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max outperforms in 2 benchmarks (LiveBench, SWE-Bench Verified), while MiniMax M3 is better at 4 benchmarks (BrowseComp, GDPval-AA, MCP Atlas, SWE-Bench Pro).
MiniMax M3 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max ($1.60/1M tokens) is 5.3x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($0.30/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max ($3.20/1M tokens) is 2.7x more expensive than MiniMax M3 ($1.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max is more expensive than MiniMax M3.*
* 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 MiniMax M3's 512,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 131,072 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
MiniMax M3 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max does not.
MiniMax M3 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
MiniMax M3
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under MIT.
Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.
MIT
Open weights
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max was released on 2026-04-23, while MiniMax M3 was released on 2026-06-01.
MiniMax M3 is 1 month newer than DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max.
Apr 23, 2026
2 months ago
Jun 1, 2026
1 months ago
1mo 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 Novita, DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Fireworks, Together. MiniMax M3 is available from Fireworks, Novita, Together, MiniMax.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
MiniMax M3
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max
View detailsDeepSeek
MiniMax M3
View detailsMiniMax
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max and MiniMax M3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4-Pro-Max vs MiniMax M3.