Model Comparison
GPT-4 vs DeepSeek-V3Which is better in 2026?
DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V3 is 78.5x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-4 vs DeepSeek-V3 — which is better?
GPT-4 (by OpenAI) and DeepSeek-V3 (by DeepSeek) 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.
GPT-4 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while DeepSeek-V3 is better at 3 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MMLU). DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, DeepSeek-V3 is roughly 78.5x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-V3 also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-4 if…
- you want predictable pricing at $30.00/M input and $60.00/M output
Choose DeepSeek-V3 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 78.5x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while DeepSeek-V3 is better at 3 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MMLU).
DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4 ($30.00/1M tokens) is 111.1x more expensive than DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4 ($60.00/1M tokens) is 54.5x more expensive than DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4 is more expensive than DeepSeek-V3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4's 32,768 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4 is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3 does not.
GPT-4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4
DeepSeek-V3
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4 is licensed under a proprietary license, while DeepSeek-V3 uses MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed).
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed)
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4 was released on 2023-06-13, while DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25.
DeepSeek-V3 is 19 months newer than GPT-4.
Jun 13, 2023
3.1 years ago
Dec 25, 2024
1.5 years ago
1.5yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2022-12-31, while DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4's training data extends to 2022-12-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V3's cutoff date.
Dec 2022
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Provider Availability
GPT-4 is available from Azure, OpenAI. DeepSeek-V3 is available from DeepSeek.
GPT-4
DeepSeek-V3
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4
View detailsOpenAI
DeepSeek-V3
View detailsDeepSeek
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4 and DeepSeek-V3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4 vs DeepSeek-V3.