DeepSeek VL2 Small vs GPT-4o mini
DeepSeek VL2 Small and GPT-4o mini are closely matched at 1.2 and 3.6 on the LLM Stats Score.
DeepSeek · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek VL2 Small and GPT-4o mini are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 1.2 and 3.6.
The models split the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models evenly.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek VL2 Small
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GPT-4o mini
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
14 reported for DeepSeek VL2 Small · 9 for GPT-4o mini
DeepSeek VL2 Small outperforms in 1 benchmarks (MathVista), while GPT-4o mini is better at 1 benchmark (MMMU).
Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only GPT-4o mini specifies input context (128,000 tokens). Only GPT-4o mini specifies output context (16,384 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both DeepSeek VL2 Small and GPT-4o mini support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
DeepSeek VL2 Small
GPT-4o mini
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek VL2 Small is licensed under deepseek, while GPT-4o mini uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
deepseek
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek VL2 Small was released on 2024-12-13, while GPT-4o mini was released on 2024-07-18.
DeepSeek VL2 Small is 5 months newer than GPT-4o mini.
Dec 13, 2024
1.8 years ago
4mo newerJul 18, 2024
2.2 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4o mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-10-01, while DeepSeek VL2 Small's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4o mini's training data extends to 2023-10-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek VL2 Small's cutoff date.
—
Oct 2023
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek VL2 Small and GPT-4o mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek VL2 Small vs GPT-4o mini.