DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Qwen3.6 Max Preview
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and Qwen3.6 Max Preview (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Alibaba. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 130k-token context window, while Qwen3.6 Max Preview ships a 256k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Qwen3.6 Max Preview leads by 3.5 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview is safer overall; choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $6.24/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 7 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 4 shared | 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.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek R1 0528 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 3.5 points.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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
Qwen3.6 Max Preview
$2,392
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $1,455. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview is $4.09/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview adds Vision, Multimodal, and Function calling in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 is $4.09/1M 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.
- DeepSeek R1 0528 adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-05-28 | 2026-04-20 |
| Context window | 130k | 256k |
| Parameters | 685B total, 37B active (MoE) | — |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.50/1M tokens |
|
| Output price | $2.15/1M tokens |
|
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 85.0 | 88.5 |
| SWE-bench Verified | 57.6 | 78.8 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 81.0 | 86.0 |
| LiveCodeBench | 73.3 | 87.1 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 85 and Qwen3.6 Max Preview at 88.5, with Qwen3.6 Max Preview ahead by 3.5 points; SWE-bench Verified has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 57.6 and Qwen3.6 Max Preview at 78.8, with Qwen3.6 Max Preview ahead by 21.2 points; Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 81 and Qwen3.6 Max Preview at 86, with Qwen3.6 Max Preview ahead by 5 points. The largest visible gap is 21.2 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: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, multimodal input: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, function calling: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, tool use: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, and code execution: DeepSeek R1 0528. Both models share reasoning mode and 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 $0.50/1M input and $2.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Qwen3.6 Max Preview lists tiered pricing: 0-128,000t is $1.30/1M input and $7.80/1M output; 128,000t+ is $2/1M input and $12/1M output. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 0528 lower by about $1.60 per million blended tokens. For tiered rows, this cheapest-track view can understate interactive or fast-lane spend, so compare the tier you will actually use. Availability is 7 providers versus 3, 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 Qwen3.6 Max Preview when long-context analysis 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 Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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 Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
DeepSeek R1 0528 lists $0.50/1M input and $2.15/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. Qwen3.6 Max Preview lists tiered pricing: 0-128,000t is $1.30/1M input and $7.80/1M output; 128,000t+ is $2/1M input and $12/1M output. Compare the tier you will actually use; cheap async pricing can overstate savings for interactive workflows. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under MIT. Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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 vision, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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.
Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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 Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. Qwen3.6 Max Preview is available on OpenRouter, Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.