DeepSeek-V3 vs Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
DeepSeek-V3 leads the LLM Stats Score 16.0 to 8.2. Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is 2.4x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Meta · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V3 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 16.0 to 8.2, ranking #208 overall.
In the 5 individual benchmarks reported for both models, DeepSeek-V3 wins 4; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is roughly 2.4x 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.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek-V3
- overall performance matters — it scores 16.0 and ranks #208 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 4 of 5 exact shared results
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2024
Choose Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
- cost matters — it's about 2.4x cheaper per token
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-V3 · 18 for Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
DeepSeek-V3 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (DROP, GPQA, MMLU, MMLU-Pro), while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is better at 1 benchmark (IFEval).
DeepSeek-V3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($0.27/1M tokens) is 1.4x more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V3 ($1.10/1M tokens) is 5.5x more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3 is more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
DeepSeek-V3 has 601.0B more parameters than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct, making it 858.6% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V3 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Llama 3.1 70B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is limited to 128,000 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-V3 is licensed under MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed), while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct uses Llama 3.1 Community License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT + Model License (Commercial use allowed)
Open weights
Llama 3.1 Community License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V3 was released on 2024-12-25, while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct was released on 2024-07-23.
DeepSeek-V3 is 5 months newer than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.
Dec 25, 2024
1.7 years ago
5mo newerJul 23, 2024
2.1 years 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-V3 is available from DeepSeek. Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Groq, Cerebras, Together, Fireworks, Bedrock, Sambanova.
DeepSeek-V3
Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3 and Llama 3.1 70B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V3 vs Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.