Model Comparison

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny vs Kimi-k1.5Which is better in 2026?

Kimi-k1.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: DeepSeek VL2 Tiny vs Kimi-k1.5 — which is better?

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny (by DeepSeek) and Kimi-k1.5 (by Moonshot AI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi-k1.5 is better at 2 benchmarks (MathVista, MMMU). Kimi-k1.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose DeepSeek VL2 Tiny if…

  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Kimi-k1.5 if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jan 2025
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Kimi-k1.5 is better at 2 benchmarks (MathVista, MMMU).

Kimi-k1.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Fri Jun 12 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both DeepSeek VL2 Tiny and Kimi-k1.5 support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Kimi-k1.5

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny is licensed under deepseek, while Kimi-k1.5 uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny

deepseek

Open weights

Kimi-k1.5

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny was released on 2024-12-13, while Kimi-k1.5 was released on 2025-01-20.

Kimi-k1.5 is 1 month newer than DeepSeek VL2 Tiny.

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny

Dec 13, 2024

1.5 years ago

Kimi-k1.5

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

1mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Outputs Comparison

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Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Has open weights
Moonshot AI
Higher MathVista score (74.9% vs 53.6%)
Higher MMMU score (70.0% vs 40.7%)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek VL2 Tiny
Moonshot AI
Kimi-k1.5

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek VL2 Tiny vs Kimi-k1.5.

Which is better, DeepSeek VL2 Tiny or Kimi-k1.5?

Kimi-k1.5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek VL2 Tiny is made by DeepSeek and Kimi-k1.5 is made by Moonshot AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek VL2 Tiny compare to Kimi-k1.5 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny scores DocVQA: 88.9%, ChartQA: 81.0%, OCRBench: 80.9%, TextVQA: 80.7%, AI2D: 71.6%. Kimi-k1.5 scores MATH-500: 96.2%, CLUEWSC: 91.4%, C-Eval: 88.3%, MMLU: 87.4%, IFEval: 87.2%.

What are the main differences between DeepSeek VL2 Tiny and Kimi-k1.5?

Key differences include licensing (deepseek vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek VL2 Tiny and Kimi-k1.5?

DeepSeek VL2 Tiny is developed by DeepSeek and Kimi-k1.5 is developed by Moonshot AI.

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