DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Grok 4
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and Grok 4 (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and xAI. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 130k-token context window, while Grok 4 ships a 256k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Grok 4 leads by 2 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.50/1M input tokens versus $1.25/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
DeepSeek R1 0528 is ~150% cheaper at $0.50/1M; pay for Grok 4 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 130k | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $2.15/1M tokens | $2.50/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 6 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 3 rows | MMLU PRO leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek R1 0528 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.15/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek R1 0528 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Grok 4 holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 2 points.
- Grok 4 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Grok 4 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek R1 0528
$938
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Grok 4
$1,625
Cheapest tracked route/tier: xAI Console
Estimated monthly gap: $688. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on Microsoft Foundry and OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok 4 is $0.35/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Grok 4 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Microsoft Foundry; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 is $0.35/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-05-28 | 2025-07-09 |
| Context window | 130k | 256k |
| Parameters | 685B total, 37B active (MoE) | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Proprietary |
| Openness | Open source | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use with conditions |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.50/1M tokens | $1.25/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.15/1M tokens | $2.50/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 85.0 | 87.0 |
| SWE-bench Verified | 57.6 | 76.7 |
| Aider Polyglot | 71.4 | 79.6 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 85 and Grok 4 at 87, with Grok 4 ahead by 2 points; SWE-bench Verified has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 57.6 and Grok 4 at 76.7, with Grok 4 ahead by 19.1 points; Aider Polyglot has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 71.4 and Grok 4 at 79.6, with Grok 4 ahead by 8.2 points. The largest visible gap is 19.1 points on SWE-bench Verified, 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 vision: Grok 4, multimodal input: Grok 4, function calling: Grok 4, and tool use: Grok 4. Both models share reasoning mode, structured outputs, and code execution, 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 $0.50/1M input and $2.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Grok 4 lists $1.25/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 0528 lower by about $0.63 per million blended tokens. Availability is 6 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Grok 4 when coding workflow support and larger context windows 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 Grok 4?
Grok 4 supports 256k tokens, while DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 130k 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 Grok 4?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.50/1M input and $2.15/1M output tokens. Grok 4 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or Grok 4 open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under MIT. Grok 4 is listed under Proprietary. 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 vision, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input 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 Grok 4?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. Grok 4 is available on Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter, Replicate API, and xAI Console. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-01. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.