DeepSeek V3 vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning)
Compare DeepSeek V3 vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) API pricing, token costs, context windows, and latency. See which model is cheaper and better for your stack.
DeepSeek V3 charges $0.14/1M input and $0.28/1M output tokens, compared to DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) at $0.55/1M input and $2.19/1M output. DeepSeek V3 is 3.9x cheaper on input tokens. In benchmark reasoning, DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) holds the higher intelligence rating (96/100). For latency-critical streaming, DeepSeek V3 delivers 85 t/s (380ms TTFT) while DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) provides 65 t/s (650ms TTFT).
Full Metric & Specification Comparison
| Metric | DeepSeek V3 | DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | DeepSeek | - |
| Input Token Cost (1M) | $0.140 | $0.550 | DeepSeek V3 |
| Output Token Cost (1M) | $0.280 | $2.190 | DeepSeek V3 |
| Context Window | 128k tokens | 128k tokens | Tie |
| Intelligence Benchmark Score | 89/100 | 96/100 | DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) |
| Streaming Latency | Fast | Moderate | - |
Key Architectural Takeaways
- Input Token Cost: DeepSeek V3 is $0.14/1M vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) at $0.55/1M
- Output Token Cost: DeepSeek V3 is $0.28/1M vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) at $2.19/1M
- Context Window: DeepSeek V3 supports 128k tokens vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) with 128k tokens
- Benchmark Intelligence Rating: DeepSeek V3 scores 89/100 vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) at 96/100
- Inference Latency: DeepSeek V3 is rated Fast vs DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) rated Moderate
Calculate Your Team's Exact Bill Difference
Drag the sliders below to see real-time cost divergences based on your daily token consumption.
Deploying DeepSeek V3 over DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) saves $20.48/mo ($246/yr) at this volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DeepSeek V3 cheaper than DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning)?
DeepSeek V3 is significantly more economical, charging $0.14/1M input compared to $0.55/1M for DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning).
Which model should I choose for production?
If your primary constraint is API cost and high query throughput, choose DeepSeek V3. If you require peak reasoning accuracy and complex tool use, DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning) is recommended.
How does context window compare between DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1 (Reasoning)?
DeepSeek V3 offers the larger context window (128k tokens), allowing you to pass significantly larger codebases or documents without chunking.
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