DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs o3
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads the LLM Stats Score 51.8 to 31.1. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 10.6x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads the overall LLM Stats Score 51.8 to 31.1, ranking #12 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is roughly 10.6x 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 #12 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 10.6x 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
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose o3
- you want predictable pricing at $2.00/M input and $8.00/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 · 22 for o3
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam), while o3 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 9.1x cheaper than o3 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash ($0.66/1M tokens) is 12.1x cheaper than o3 ($8.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o3 is more expensive than DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash accepts 1,040,000 input tokens compared to o3's 200,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash can generate longer responses up to 393,216 tokens, while o3 is limited to 100,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and o3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
o3
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is licensed under MIT, while o3 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-V4.1-Flash was released on 2026-09-10, while o3 was released on 2025-04-16.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 17 months newer than o3.
Sep 10, 2026
0 days ago
1.4yr newerApr 16, 2025
1.4 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
o3 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm o3's training data extends to 2024-05-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash's cutoff date.
—
May 2024
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is available from Fireworks, DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. o3 is available from OpenAI.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
o3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and o3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs o3.