DeepSeek VL2 Small vs o3
o3 leads the LLM Stats Score 31.1 to 1.4.
DeepSeek · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
o3 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 31.1 to 1.4, ranking #105 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, o3 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek VL2 Small
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose o3
- overall performance matters — it scores 31.1 and ranks #105 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
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 · 22 for o3
DeepSeek VL2 Small outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while o3 is better at 2 benchmarks (MathVista, MMMU).
o3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only o3 specifies input context (200,000 tokens). Only o3 specifies output context (100,000 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both DeepSeek VL2 Small and o3 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
DeepSeek VL2 Small
o3
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek VL2 Small is licensed under deepseek, while o3 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 o3 was released on 2025-04-16.
o3 is 4 months newer than DeepSeek VL2 Small.
Dec 13, 2024
1.7 years ago
Apr 16, 2025
1.4 years ago
4mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
o3 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while DeepSeek VL2 Small'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 VL2 Small's cutoff date.
—
May 2024
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek VL2 Small and o3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek VL2 Small vs o3.