DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Qwen2.5-72B
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and Qwen2.5-72B (2025) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Alibaba. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 130k-token context window, while Qwen2.5-72B ships a 128k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, DeepSeek R1 0528 leads by 13 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Qwen2.5-72B is safer overall; choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen2.5-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and provider-routed production | tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 130k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $2.15/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 6 tracked | 0 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 1 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek R1 0528 holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 13 points.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 uniquely exposes Reasoning, Structured outputs, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek R1 0528 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen2.5-72B uniquely exposes Function calling and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen2.5-72B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
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
Qwen2.5-72B
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for DeepSeek R1 0528 and Qwen2.5-72B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning, Structured outputs, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Qwen2.5-72B adds Function calling and Tool use in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen2.5-72B and DeepSeek R1 0528; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Function calling and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 adds Reasoning, Structured outputs, and Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-05-28 | 2025-10-10 |
| Context window | 130k | 128k |
| Parameters | 685B total, 37B active (MoE) | 72B |
| Architecture | decoder only | - |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2024-09 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen2.5-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.50/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $2.15/1M tokens | - |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen2.5-72B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen2.5-72B |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 85.0 | 72.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 85 and Qwen2.5-72B at 72, with DeepSeek R1 0528 ahead by 13 points. The largest visible gap is 13 points on MMLU PRO, 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: Qwen2.5-72B, tool use: Qwen2.5-72B, structured outputs: DeepSeek R1 0528, and code execution: DeepSeek R1 0528. Both models share the core language-model surface, 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: DeepSeek R1 0528 has $0.50/1M input tokens and Qwen2.5-72B has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 6 tracked routes versus 0. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen2.5-72B when provider fit 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 Qwen2.5-72B?
DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 130k tokens, while Qwen2.5-72B supports 128k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or Qwen2.5-72B open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under MIT. Qwen2.5-72B is listed under Apache 2.0. 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 Qwen2.5-72B?
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 Qwen2.5-72B?
Qwen2.5-72B 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.
Which is better for tool use, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Qwen2.5-72B?
Qwen2.5-72B has the clearer documented tool use signal in this comparison. If tool use 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 Qwen2.5-72B?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. Qwen2.5-72B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.