DeepSeek R1 0528 vs o3
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and o3 (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and OpenAI. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 160K-token context window, while o3 ships a 128K-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, o3 leads by 6.7 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input tokens versus $1/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
DeepSeek R1 0528 is ~900% cheaper at $0.1/1M; pay for o3 only for coding workflow support.
Specs
| Released | 2025-01-01 | 2025-03-31 |
| Context window | 160K | 128K |
| Parameters | 671B | — |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Open Source | Unknown |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | o3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.1/1M tokens | $1/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.3/1M tokens | $4/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | o3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | ||
| Multimodal | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Function calling | ||
| Tool use | ||
| Structured outputs | ||
| Code execution |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | o3 |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 81.0 | 87.7 |
| Aider Polyglot | 71.4 | 81.3 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 81 and o3 at 87.7, with o3 ahead by 6.7 points; Aider Polyglot has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 71.4 and o3 at 81.3, with o3 ahead by 9.9 points. The largest visible gap is 9.9 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 is close: both models cover reasoning mode, structured outputs, and code execution. That makes context budget, benchmark fit, and provider maturity more important than a simple checklist. If your application depends on one integration detail, verify it against the provider route you plan to use, not just the base model listing.
For cost, DeepSeek R1 0528 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while o3 lists $1/1M input and $4/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 0528 lower by about $1.74 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose o3 when coding workflow support 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 o3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 160K tokens, while o3 supports 128K 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 o3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. o3 costs $1/1M input and $4/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or o3 open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under Open Source. o3 is listed under Unknown. 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 o3?
Both DeepSeek R1 0528 and o3 expose reasoning mode. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for structured outputs, DeepSeek R1 0528 or o3?
Both DeepSeek R1 0528 and o3 expose structured outputs. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run DeepSeek R1 0528 and o3?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. o3 is available on OpenAI API, OpenRouter, and OpenAI Batch API. 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.