DeepSeek R1 0528 vs DeepSeek V3
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and DeepSeek V3 (2024) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 160K-token context window, while DeepSeek V3 ships a 64k-token context window. On Aider Polyglot, DeepSeek R1 0528 leads by 23.0 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input tokens versus $0.1/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Pick DeepSeek R1 0528 for coding; DeepSeek V3 is better when provider fit matters more.
Specs
| Released | 2025-01-01 | 2024-12-26 |
| Context window | 160K | 64k |
| Parameters | 671B | 671B |
| Architecture | decoder only | mixture of experts |
| License | Open Source | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2024-04 |
Pricing and availability
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | DeepSeek V3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.1/1M tokens | $0.1/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.3/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | DeepSeek V3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | ||
| Multimodal | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Function calling | ||
| Tool use | ||
| Structured outputs | ||
| Code execution |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | DeepSeek V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Aider Polyglot | 71.4 | 48.4 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Aider Polyglot has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 71.4 and DeepSeek V3 at 48.4, with DeepSeek R1 0528 ahead by 23.0 points. The largest visible gap is 23.0 points on Aider Polyglot, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: DeepSeek R1 0528, function calling: DeepSeek V3, tool use: DeepSeek V3, and code execution: DeepSeek R1 0528. Both models share structured outputs, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, DeepSeek R1 0528 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while DeepSeek V3 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 0528 lower by about $0 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 12, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose DeepSeek V3 when provider fit and broader provider choice are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek R1 0528 or DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 160K tokens, while DeepSeek V3 supports 64k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 0528 or DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. DeepSeek V3 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or DeepSeek V3 open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under Open Source. DeepSeek V3 is listed under Open Source. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for reasoning mode, DeepSeek R1 0528 or DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 has the clearer documented reasoning mode signal in this comparison. If reasoning mode is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for function calling, DeepSeek R1 0528 or DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek V3 has the clearer documented function calling signal in this comparison. If function calling is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek R1 0528 and DeepSeek V3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. DeepSeek V3 is available on DeepInfra, Fireworks AI, DeepSeek Platform, Microsoft Foundry, and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-24. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.