DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Inkling-Small
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads the LLM Stats Score 51.8 to 38.5. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 1.6x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Thinking Machines Lab · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads the overall LLM Stats Score 51.8 to 38.5, ranking #13 overall.
In the 3 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is roughly 1.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash also accepts a larger context window (1,040,000 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-V4.1-Flash
- overall performance matters — it scores 51.8 and ranks #13 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 3 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 1.6x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,040,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2026
Choose Inkling-Small
- you want predictable pricing at $0.30/M input and $1.20/M output
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
20 reported for DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash · 24 for Inkling-Small
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam, Terminal-Bench 2.1), while Inkling-Small is better at 0 benchmarks.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash ($0.22/1M tokens) is 1.4x cheaper than Inkling-Small ($0.30/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash ($0.66/1M tokens) is 1.8x cheaper than Inkling-Small ($1.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Inkling-Small is more expensive than DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash has 487.2B more parameters than Inkling-Small, making it 176.5% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash accepts 1,040,000 input tokens compared to Inkling-Small's 256,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash can generate longer responses up to 393,216 tokens, while Inkling-Small is limited to 256,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Inkling-Small support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
Inkling-Small
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash 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-V4.1-Flash was released on 2026-09-10, while Inkling-Small was released on 2026-07-30.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 1 month newer than Inkling-Small.
Sep 10, 2026
1 weeks ago
1mo newerJul 30, 2026
1 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is available from Fireworks, DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. Inkling-Small is available from Thinking Machines Lab, DeepInfra.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
Inkling-Small
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Inkling-Small side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Inkling-Small.