DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Qwen3.8 Max
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Qwen3.8 Max are closely matched at 51.8 and 52.0 on the LLM Stats Score. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 7.5x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Qwen3.8 Max are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 51.8 and 52.0.
In the 7 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash wins 4; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is roughly 7.5x 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
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 4 of 7 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 7.5x 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 Qwen3.8 Max
- you want predictable pricing at $1.65/M input and $4.95/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 · 42 for Qwen3.8 Max
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash outperforms in 4 benchmarks (AutomationBench, DeepSWE 1.1, NL2Repo, Terminal-Bench 2.1), while Qwen3.8 Max is better at 3 benchmarks (Agents' Last Exam, GPQA, Humanity's Last Exam).
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash 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-V4.1-Flash ($0.22/1M tokens) is 7.5x cheaper than Qwen3.8 Max ($1.65/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash ($0.66/1M tokens) is 7.5x cheaper than Qwen3.8 Max ($4.95/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Qwen3.8 Max is more expensive than DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Qwen3.8 Max has 1636.8B more parameters than DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash, making it 214.5% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash accepts 1,040,000 input tokens compared to Qwen3.8 Max's 256,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash can generate longer responses up to 393,216 tokens, while Qwen3.8 Max is limited to 256,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Qwen3.8 Max support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
Qwen3.8 Max
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is licensed under MIT, while Qwen3.8 Max uses Qwen3.8-Max License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Qwen3.8-Max License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash was released on 2026-09-10, while Qwen3.8 Max was released on 2026-08-02.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 1 month newer than Qwen3.8 Max.
Sep 10, 2026
1 weeks ago
1mo newerAug 2, 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. Qwen3.8 Max is available from DeepInfra, Fireworks, Novita, Together.
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
Qwen3.8 Max
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Qwen3.8 Max side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Qwen3.8 Max.